A Taste for Death
by Nighttime Destiny
Summary: A Plot. A Perfect Murder. Three people with entirely different backgrounds running for their lives. APM's drama with new twists and turns of my own to form a completely different story. PLEASE R&R and let me know if this should be continued!
1. Chapter One

Chapter One  
  
David David Marrow was a criminal. His record was one begun with theft such as the occasional car stealing, until eventually he swindled almost a million dollars in a single step. He would ploy women of high wealth or inheritance into believing they loved him. Then he procured their money and left them forlorn to be found out and disgraced for trusting his soothing words.which had seemed so amorous 'till the end when he betrayed the love of the women. His solemn promises, all that appealed to the feminine ear turned out to be fabrications he used to bend one's mind into total confusion. That one man ended up with eight hundred thousand dollars and a large art studio of his own in the city of Manhattan. David Marrow was me.  
  
* * *  
  
I walked quickly, not particularly caring to be seen or recognized. The former could lead to the latter, and in my case, that was, and still is, not a risk to be lightly taken. Being seen is mostly a danger to me of the second kind. I say 'of the second kind' for a reason, of course. See, there're two kinds of danger. There's danger you can face up to and danger of another kind.it's wealth. It's wretched and it's not of this world. Wealth separates people from 'real' people. It's what usually distinguishes a person in this city, and it's ludicrous. I mean, a person is a person, nothing more or less.despite wealth. Money might be useful, but it makes one rich, not important. After reading the above, you're probably wondering why I speak against wealth when, as you may have surmised in the beginning, it is a trait that can well define my existence and why the hell I became a thief and a liar.It wasn't that difficult, really. All I needed was a reason, and when I was twelve, that fell into line for me, setting up the road to the rest of my life. My mother died giving birth to me; I had no siblings. My dad would come home every week or two, completely drunk and beaten to the bone. He had no job, and was normally in a state of drunkenness, which is why he was usually beaten if he got to near someone. He was arrested when I was twelve. I'd had to fend for myself before, but still things became different. I got a job, or tried to, at least. No one wanted to hire the poor son of a bitch who'd had an arrested dad and lived alone on the streets. I then went to Plan B. I stole. At first I just took small things: watches and jewelry. They were easy to get hold of, and took longer to be missed. After a while I promoted myself to cars, they came in useful; and helped me teach myself to drive. If I wanted to get where I was going in a hurry, all I did was hot-wire the finest car I could find in the neighborhood and speed off before being caught. After a while, I made it here, to New York, and graduated to some real theft. I met someone and stole her heart. We saw each other limitedly, 'cause her folks were the rich sort, the kind who hate lowly creatures such as me. We were in love though.we meaning me. One night, she came to me and said she'd met someone she was gonna marry. He was probably just some old schmuck her parents had introduced that had thought of those precious twelve words before me: "Well maybe we should.uh.you know.what d'ya think, huh?" But she must have loved him, because they set a date for the wedding a month later. Lucky bastard. The day of the wedding the couple made a trip to the bank to withdraw money for the honeymoon, only to discover that her 'fiancé' had withdrawn it all that morning.the 'fiancé' being me. I only got a couple grand from her, but it made me thirsty for more. There were two others like her.well, almost like her.that got themselves caught in my trap. Within five years, I had eight hundred grand.not bad.  
  
* * *  
  
Anya met me outside the art museum at nine O'clock on Friday night. We walked for a couple minutes, not speaking a word. After a while of silence, Anya turned to me. "You've been having this affair with 'Nicole' for a month now? Right. And, what's up with her husband?" "You wouldn't like him." I replied quickly, in an attempt to protect my friend. At least, that's what I'd always considered her to be. "Why would I be interested?" Apparently my anticipations had been false. I glanced her way. "Never mind. Forget I mentioned it." "OK. Anyway, what was it you wanted me to do?" I looked around cautiously, to be sure no one was near enough to hear. "Two things. One: Come with me to the party tonight. I need a date." "What party?" "The one I told you about, the opening." I gestured back at the museum, where a new Filipino exhibit was opening that night. Nicole was going to meet me there, but I needed a date just in case her husband's plans changed for the evening. He was supposed to have a meeting, but you could never be too careful, especially if you were me. Anya nodded in recognition of what I meant. She seemed to be able to determine anything I said or did, even if no one else could. "The second favor?" "Call this number. Ask for Nicole and when she's on, give me the phone." I requested, handing over a card with Nicole's number scrawled on it. My friend sighed. She was tired, I could tell. The other night I'd asked her over around midnight for an opinion on some of my work, since I couldn't decide for myself weather to keep it, sell it, or burn it. She'd come to my studio and examined every painting until we'd made three piles. One had five paintings to burn. The second had nineteen to sell, and the third consisted of three for me to keep and display. After sorting through the work and having a little bonfire, we'd talked until sunrise; I always could talk to her, tell her anything I wanted, and trust it'd be kept secret. For a moment I thought she'd refuse my second question, but she didn't. "What time?" "Now. She's just gotten home from work." "Anything you say, 'David'." "Thank you for that." I whispered while she waited for someone to answer at Nicole's in the phone booth. Another confession I feel pressured to reveal-I'm not really David Marrow. I changed my name after being released from prison.after three years of entrapment. To be completely honest, my real name's Jordan. Yeah, you heard correctly. I'm Jordan Weiss. The only people alive who know this are you, Anya, my dad.if he is still alive.and me.  
  
* * *  
  
The ringing of the hallway phone echoed throughout the Velmen's residence. Its tone sounded once, twice, three times, echoing down the hall as its wave lengths ricocheted off a white marble entry hall floor and pale blue walls, before being answered by Alexander Velmen, Nicole's husband of four years. "Hello? Yes, she's here. You want to speak with her? Just a minute.Who's calling?"  
  
* * *  
  
Anya covered the receiver and turned to me. "Who's calling?" She asked, simply. I shrugged and pondered before talking. "Give him your name." "No! My name implicates me. I don't want him knowing my name!" "Fine, tell him 'Miss Marrow'." Anya smirked. "Yes Miss Marrow." She relayed the name to Alex. There was a pause, and I assume he was getting Nicole on the phone. Looking and glowering at Anya, I ordered, "Never call me that again. Understand?" in a harsh tone. I was serious, and I'd make certain she knew it too. I was handed the phone. "Miss Marrow? I was hoping you'd call. Are you." Nicole let her third sentence trail off. "Sorry David. Alex was still in the room; I didn't know what else to do." My voice became soft. "Don't worry about it. It doesn't matter, Nicole.I'm set for tonight, what about you?" "Alex's engagement was cancelled. I don't know what we're going to do.He might come with me tonight and." Again her voice softened to nothingness. I could hear her sigh, and the sound tickled my ear. "He doesn't know who I am, right?" "Of course he doesn't." I half smiled. "Then there can be no harm done if he comes with you tonight. If he doesn't, then.it just makes things easier." "But if he does come.if he sees you-what could I say to him?" Her voice was a slight whisper, hardly noticeable. "Introduce us. Tell him my name. Tell him everything." "By everything, you mean." A smirk formed on my lips. "I'm an artist by interest. You've been to my studio and seen my work.Maybe he'll even buy something from me then." "You're playing with fire, David." "And I'm not afraid to burn. Come on.He might be good business for me, and I'd like to meet your Alexander." Nicole responded swiftly to that. "He is not my Alexander." 'Really?' I thought to myself. I'd thought he was. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
David Hundreds of people crowded into the museum that night. Anya and I were lucky; we were some of the first in. Anya wore a flowing black dress of silk, to match her dark eyes and long hair, with a train so long I had to watch the ground to be sure I didn't stumble over it. I wore a plain tux- black, and suitable for the occasion. As we walked through the new exhibit, Anya looked at the art while my eyes scanned the crowd for Nicole. After the first half hour, I'd gained a fan club that followed me around, of some people that'd bought my work at some time, or had seen it. I was busied explaining about the brushes and paint and surfaces I used, since none of 'em would shut up, or even give me space. They kept jabbering and inquiring until I'd answered every question of theirs at least five times. Then I saw her. Nicole walked into the room. Her long golden-blonde hair was pulled up neatly, and she wore a long rust-colored dress. Her bright eyes searched for me, and when they'd found their target, her head shook solemnly. Behind her I could see an older man, in his fifties, with brown and silver hair. His suit was well made, and from that I assumed he was Alex. When I saw him turn to Nicole, I knew. It was him. Alexander Velmen had entered the building, and he was not leaving Nicole's side. Well, if they weren't coming to me, I decided I'd go to meet them. It was about time I met the bastard anyway.  
  
* * *  
  
I wandered slowly farther from my followers until they'd been left behind me somewhere in the Egyptian exhibit. After ditching them, I made my way to the Mesopotamian exhibit, where I knew Nicole waited. It was where we'd first met, nearly a month ago. There she was, standing alone before a panel, reading the information it offered. I walked up behind her, and, when she saw me, I smiled. "You shouldn't have come." She spoke softly. I grinned idiotically. That always made her laugh. "I should have come, and did." "Alex can't see us together! He has a.suspicious mind. I don't know how he might react or what he would think." "About what? I'm an artist you've met. That's no crime. You've seen my work, so what? I have a herd of buyers wandering around somewhere lost in the Egyptian section. For all Alex knows, you might as well be one of them.Though you're much more beautiful, I must add." I paused, at first to catch my breath and be enriched by her momentary ring of laughter.and then to test a theory. "We have to negotiate an offer you made me, since I'm not so certain I agree with it." Nicole looked puzzled, but only until a new voice joined the conversation. "Really? An offer on what, exactly?" I turned without hesitation. Hesitation could indicate any of several things, including reluctance, guilt, and uncertainty. I could not demonstrate such signs, not if I was a mere painter having a discussion with Mrs. Velmen. I faced the brown-and-silver haired man from before.Alex. "Mr. Velmen, I presume." My hand extended toward him, offering a handshake. It was ignored. His voice was cold, dismissing. "Your presumption is adequate, but I fear I do not own the pleasure of knowing your name." Nicole stepped in, noticing the intensity of Alex's gaze at me. "This is Dav.This is Mr. Marrow. He's a painter. His studio's downtown. I think you'd like some of his work." "Would he be any acquaintance to 'Miss Marrow', who called earlier?" Nicole wasted no time in answering. "Miss Marrow is Mr. Marrow's sister." "And she called us.why?" I broke in before Nicole could even begin. "She's a bit low on money at the time, so I'm paying her to be a sort of.secretary for a while. She makes my phone calls and negotiates with buyers about prices for me." Alex faced me head on and looked into my eyes, reading them in search of a lie, and burning into me. "Yet here you are now, speaking of negotiation with my wife. Why is that?" "My sister has been ill this past week; I told her to stay home and rest rather than accompany me." I spoke fast, making the excuse which made most sense. And Alex bought it. "Really?" He kept watching me, like an experienced hunter watching its prey. I was motionless in his gaze; something kept my eyes locked on his for the time. I was like a bird caught in a snake's eyes. "She sounded quite well when she called a few hours ago. Hmm.And where, exactly, did you study?" Relieved for the delayed change of subject, I responded. "At Burkley." His eyes widened slightly, yet noticeably. "Burkley? Good school, so I hear." He took a breath. "Well, maybe I can come down to your studio sometime, look at your pieces." "I'd be glad if you did.  
  
* * *  
  
Calico "Anya!" My voice called to David's forgotten friend over the low, dismal mumbling of hundreds of art spectators, each testing their voice's strength in order to overcome the rest and be heard. Anya twisted slowly to make a full ninety degree pivot toward my general direction and recognized me-Calico Black, a friend and neighbor of hers. "What?" She inquired. "What are you doing here?" I asked in sheer confusion. Anya didn't go to many parties, so the proceedings appeared quizzical. "A favor." Was all the given reply. Just two short words breathed in a tone of minor boredom.if not exasperation. From outside the doorway, I waved. "Can I come in?" Anya's brow bent a bit as she set a frown upon her pale face. "No!" "Why not?" "You're wearing casual clothes." Anya retorted. As usual, I wore black pants and boots with a long flowing black trench coat over a dark turtleneck. Shades covered my eyes, even though the evening already was entranced in a state of pure darkness. "SO?" Anya sighed, annoyed. "This is a formal party." I moaned in irritation. "SO WHAT? That doesn't matter! Hey, you're wearing black too. This could be formal!" I motioned at her ebony ensemble. "Look, stop shouting, I can hear you fine where I am without you screaming your lungs out." "OK! I mean, ok." Anya took her time walking to the entrance. She stood just inside to talk to Calico. "Do you have a ticket?" I grinned. "Who the hell needs one?" "You do, to get in." "Shit, how much are they?" I wasn't pleased with the answer. "Thirty bucks, just to see a few things that're some thousand years old or something? Like Cleopatra.I mean, who's gonna remember her in ten years? Huh? You've got to be kidding!" "Calico, that's just how much they are. I didn't set the price!" "Anya, be quiet and let her in!" David what's-his-last-name whispered in her ear, approaching from the back and momentarily placing a steady hand on my friend's arm when he reached her. She obeyed without a question, and all he received was a frown as she turned.  
  
David I'd excused myself from the sides of Mr. and Mrs. Velmen for the time being and had become fed up from Alex's questions. "Sorry." I added, again in a whispered tone, after noting Anya's displeasure at my order. I brushed my hand softly and briefly against her arm in a small, but feeble gesture of apology as well. "We're leaving. Ten minutes." I added hastily, and left, not giving her any choice but to agree.  
  
* * *  
  
Calico glared. Everyone kept staring at her. She wasn't exactly the usual sort of person you met on the streets every day, even in New York. Her hair was black and shoulder-length. She had dark eyes that mimicked shimmering pools of oil or wells of ink. She always wore the color black, always wore shades, and carried a silver dagger in one pocket, just to be prepared for the worst if worst came to worst. She was always ready, and you could tell by looking at her that she was most definitely not a person with whom to fuck. Anya walked at her side, slowly and patiently. People turned to look at Calico, but looked away because of Anya. Her eyes warned away unwelcome stares of any sort, from anyone, and were also deep, hypnotic pools of black, as the feathers of a raven. But she had a look that would make you feel like a bird caught in a snake's eyes when your random glances met in the air, and everything around you seemed to melt and disappear as long as eye contact was maintained. Once, Calico and Anya crossed paths with Alex during their wandering exploration of the neat building, leaving no floor untouched. He curiously did no more than nod curtly, not seeming to notice Calico's.difference from the others gathered within the great museum. That one thing, that simple, innocent action was what made him quite unlike any other person in the building. That also was what I should have immediately noticed that was unnatural, but didn't until it was too late. 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter three  
  
David I was wearing a black sweater and a pair of faded blue jeans with shades covering my eyes of hazel. Three times I knocked on the wooden door. After that gesture, I raised my hand, still in a fist, and blew dust off into light gray clouds that were visible only in the dim lighting of the hall. My throat was tickled by the tiny particles and I stifled a cough. My throat cleared, I attempted to open the door. It wouldn't budge, so I backed a step and kicked it three times to send it off the hinges.  
After entering the room, I squatted to lift up one end of the door, finding that all the deadbolts had been locked, making it difficult to force the door open. Then I dropped it and stood to look around. It had changed only a little since I'd last seen the place. Instead of the usual inch of dust that matted the floor, only a half inch blanketed it that day. 'Must have bee cleaned last year.' I thought sarcastically. I still didn't know why it was not better kept up. The place was old and fairly empty, like my own apartment just across the hall. One window let in light on the far side of the room, providing the only luminosity in the flat.  
It was near impossible to see, regardless of the uncovered window, since it was eight in the evening. I had trouble seeing my own two hands, let alone my feet. Clumsily and inadvertently, I stumbled over a coffee table and fell, cutting my ankle on its glass tabletop as it shattered in the process.  
Anya came into the room slowly, being careful in case of a burglar. She wore her usual attire, consisting of black pants, black top, black everything, all topped off with a trench coat, which only she and I understood to hide her four CIMPOs, all holstered to her waist and legs.  
As I sat up, I discovered myself faced with two of the four. "Hi."  
"Jesus! What the hell are you doin' here, busting down my door, breaking my table? I swear, that door cost me two hundred bucks." She was just a little pissed. That, however, was not my problem. I had a proposition for her.  
I grimaced while standing, finding shards of glass stuck in my femur.  
  
Anya's face altered from anger to concern. "You all right?"  
"Yeah, perfect. What do ya think Anya? I have two." I counted. "three pieces of glass in my leg."  
"Let's get you to a hospital." She began to help me up, gently placing her arms around me to help me up from the ground. Upon getting me to my feet, her right arm moved under my left and wrapped around to my opposite shoulder, steadying me, and keeping me off the foiled, dusty ground.  
My hand reached out to stop her movements. "No!" I forced a grin onto my lips painfully. "It is not very bad. You take the shards out for me. I'll manage."  
"David."  
I cut her off abruptly. "Yes! David, exactly. That's my name for the time being and I'd like to keep it that way, thank you very much!"  
"What are you talking about?"  
"If we go to the hospital, they'd take a blood sample to see if the wound had been infected by anything. From the sample, they'd get my name: Dale.not David. There'd be a record of my name, injury, age, everything. Going to the hospital is number one on the list of worse things to do for me. I'm wanted by the police, Anya.for more charges than one."  
"All right.Here, sit down." I was led to what I assume was a couch. "More charges than one?" She added after a moment of thought. I dismissed the implement with a frown. Signaling her that it was not the time or place to discuss such a thing.  
Anya left my side for a short time to turn on a light. I was almost blinded by the difference it made. When I got a look at the wound, I wished she'd left the lights out. Blood streamed lightly all the way from the cuts down, which was about a foot.  
Returning with a bowl of cold water and some towels, Anya sat at my side. She wasn't squeamish-she never had been. And I suspect it will always be that way for her; she simply eased the sharp pieces of her tabletop from my injured leg. I clenched my teeth, not caring to show how much it really pained me.  
When that was over with, my leg was cleansed of blood, and any specks of glass that could possibly remain. Anya then wrapped my leg up in some bandages, after smoothing an antibiotic of sorts over the wounds.  
"Perhaps you should stay here a while.you know, until you can walk." Anya suggested.  
I glanced up at her, but the lights had been turned out again, so I found this slightly complicated. "You don't mind, do you?"  
"Would I have offered if I did?" She feigned a laugh. "Why should I mind? It's just you, right?"  
"Yeah, it is just me."  
"David, why did you come here anyway?"  
My mind searched for an answer. All things being the same, the believable answer is more likely the right one. "To see you." Hesitation brings the most deafening silence. When again I spoke, it was to ask "Why the hell don't you answer your door?" That brought laughter to us both, and the situation brightened.  
  
* * *  
  
Calico Nicole went out for a while; she found it uneasy to sleep. In the night, she found herself feeling even more alone than at any other time, any other place.  
With her cell phone, she dialed David's number. Letting it ring once, twice, thrice, four and five times, Nicole became impatient and dropped the phone.  
As she bent to lift it from the ground, a sound startled her. A woman walked out from the shadows, robed in black completely. Oddly, she looked familiar. Probably because the two had met at the museum-or at least seen each other. You see, that's because the woman was me.  
She heard two crashes like thunder and looked up to search for any sign of rain. Something terrible pierced her skin that moment, and drew not only pain, but fear into her like she were a child having blood drawn for the first time. But this was worse. The pain seemed so unbearably that the world spun about her swiftly. Faster and faster it spun.until the time when she blacked out, too soon to feel herself collapse to the ground.  
  
* * *  
  
"Nicole? Nikki?" Her name whispered over and over in a horrible dream, a nightmare that'd waken her. Nicole dared to open her eyes.  
Alex stood above her, leaning toward her, with one hand on her forehead. He looked concerned. Looking past him, she saw the white of their bedroom ceiling and blaring light taunting her from her husband's back. So it had been a dream.  
"Mrs. Velmen? Can you hear me?" A pause broke the person's speech ever so briefly and a deep breath was taken before it continued to explain. "You were shot twice, ma'am, but you should be out of here in a few days since neither bullet pierced a vital organ, and luckily you were found in good time, so not too much blood was lost. However, your husband has donated some of his blood in case the occasion arose when you might need it."  
Or not.  
The doctor left Nicole and Alex alone.  
"What happened, honey? Who did this?" She was speechless. "Did you see who did this?" His voice was so urgent; Nicole wanted to help her husband.  
"It was the lady from the party." Her voice was weak. "All black."  
"Nicole? Nicole!" 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
David One week later, my leg was completely back to normal.Thanks to Anya, who never left my side. She helped me in ways I very much am thankful for, and in times most needed. Each morning, I was brought breakfast and fresh bandages. In the afternoon, Anya would go out for a short time and return with something to eat, a movie, or a story to share with me.  
Also each day, she would check my messages at the apartment and report them to me. Nicole called each day, sometimes three or four times. She seemed desperate to talk with me, yet it was impossible for her to leave the hospital so early. She would be there another week recovering. It was time, I decided, for me to go to her for a change, even if it meant risking my own safety.  
  
* * *  
  
In the evening's cover, I made my way. Anya had gone out for the night, and, as usual, I knew she would not return 'till late. I wore a raincoat of dark grey to keep myself virtually undistinguishable in the night, its collar pulled up tight about my neck. A khaki widely-brimmed hat hid my eyes, which were cold with pain, worry, frustration, and weariness. It had been four days that I'd found difficulty in sleeping, though the reason to me was hidden.  
Inside the hospital building, a nurse asked for my name, to record me as a visitor. I supplied the name "Andrew Johnson" as a light cover of my identity. I was then given Nicole's room number, 2010.  
Inside Nicole's room, I found my lover asleep. Her hair wound about her face in soft wisps of gold and I watched as she drew breath. She seemed so peaceful; I did not wish to disturb her. I simply sat at her side and gazed at her face, wondering what kind of person would intentionally hurt her if that was, indeed what had happened. True.I did not necessarily love Nicole, but the thought that when she left my sight could be the last time I looked upon her was unwelcome.  
My steps were widely spread as I hurried out of the building, avoiding any person's notice. However, on my way out, I ran into an obstacle. Alex rounded the corner. When he recognized me, he hastened his pace. I had to keep walking, I knew, but certainly had no wish t explain anything to him whatsoever.  
"Mr. Marrow? What are you doing here at this hour?"  
"Well, sometimes I bring some of my work here to kind of cheer up the patients. They like all the colors.You know?" The lie was the best I could come up with in so short a time after being caught slightly off my guard.  
Alex looked remotely suspicious. "Really now? What is done with your work?"  
"Some of the nurses volunteer to hang it up around the place where it can be seen."  
"Is this some of your work?" He walked up to a random painting hanging in the hall. He seemed to admire it.  
"Uh.yeah. That's mine."  
"You don't sound too sure of that."  
Damn! "I paint so much, it's sometimes difficult to remember what I've done." I lied quickly, something I was good at.  
Mr. Velmen frowned. "Now, if this is yours, how come the signature says Thomas Stahller?"  
"It does?" It was. "I guess I was mistaken then. But I do believe I've done some similar work."  
"I guess you were mistaken. Good night David."  
"'Night." I kept right on walking. I still had three floors to descend, after all. Damn observant bastard.  
  
* * *  
  
The phone rang one, and was immediately answered. "911 emergency. Can I help you? Hello?"  
A gruff voice spoke on the other line. "My name is Alex Velmen. I'm in the 42nd Street hospital and I've just seen a mister David Marrow. I believe he's wanted for two charges."  
"David Marrow?"  
"Yes, check your records for theft."  
"Oh my god." He'd apparently found my file. "Sir, can you describe this man?"  
"I'd say he's five eleven, in his late thirties, early forties. His hair was medium length and brown. I couldn't really see him well, but I'm sure it was him."  
The cop sighed over the line. "We'll send someone over to pick him up right away. Do you know what floor he's on?"  
"He was going down from the third floor, and I only just saw him a minute ago."  
"Thank you sir."  
Steven hung up. Grinning, he mused. "You're welcome."  
  
* * *  
  
I stopped dead in my tracks. Shit! David.Alex had called me David. I'd only been introduced by Nicole as Mr. Marrow. He was never told my first name.as far as I was aware. The asshole knew. He had to, about Nicole and me. But how was that possible? Could it be that he and Nicole were just talking about me, discussing my paintings, and Nicole let it slip?  
I spun around in distress. Absently, I kicked the nearest thing to me-a wall-with my previously injured leg. Not the best idea.  
An alarm sounded; that was it; the cops had been called. Alex had set me up! That was when I panicked. Running on a busted leg is not the easiest thing to do, but that's the one absent-minded thing I did then. I made my way to the emergency staircase and rushed down in haste.to meet Alex.  
"Hello, David. How you doin'" At my astonished face he laughed. "Not quite what you expected out of your evening is it now? In fact, I'll even wager that it's quite the opposite."  
I shook my head, praying for it all to be a dream. "You don't know a thing about me, Alex. Why are you doing this?"  
"Ah, my friend, now that's where you're wrong. I can read you like a book. It's all there, your past, present.and future."  
"You should never judge a book by its cover and I am most certainly no exception."  
Alex's face distorted into a frown. "The police are coming for you. Death wants you. What will you do now? Run away like a frightened little child? Shudder because the night is dark? It ain't possible. I've seen to that."  
"Really? How exactly have you arranged that?"  
After a long pause, Alex sighed, smiled a bit, and spoke. "I've given you a way out." His tone was calm, and very serious, but with a hint of something that sounded a little like pride.in himself.  
"Which way?"  
"You have a quick mind, but you've been outsmarted this time."  
"Do you need the 'b' and 'c'?"  
The smile lessened. "What?"  
It was my turn to grin. "They say genius is being able to get from 'a' to'd' without the 'b' and 'c'. Well?"  
Ignoring the question, he hassled on. "Make your choice. Will you be caught by the police, go to prison, and die? Or will you take the way out?" He chose to overlook my inquiry for good.  
I looked thoughtful, as though I was considering it. "Bastard." I mumbled. He heard. For that one word, I was tripped, and grunted upon hitting the ground since I'd landed on the wounded leg.  
"What happened to your leg?" I was mockingly asked. "You want a way out; you better make a decision now."  
"Get me out." I moaned.  
Alex took pleasure in tormenting me, didn't he? "I can't hear you." He drew a gun and pointed it at my head. To answer my earlier question.Yes.  
"Get me out!" What else could I do? He knew who and what I was. There was nothing else to be said.I'd been found out. 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter five  
  
David  
I stumbled up the staircase with Alex guiding me. He had me by the arm and led me up the stairs, knowing the police would expect me to head downstairs, to the lobby. It was odd.he was helping me, after turning me in to the police. I already knew there had to be a catch, but I had to give him partial credit for intelligence.  
"Enough!" Alex's grasp stopped my tracks, pulling me down. "Now you listen." He ordered. "You must, by now, be wondering why I'm doing this. Well, there's something I have selected you to do.after careful consideration. I'll be willing to give you twenty grand, tax free too.if you do this job to my liking."  
"I'm honored and all...but." Confused, all I could do was reply. "What's the job?"  
"Kill my wife."  
Okay. The man was crazy."You want me to kill Nicole?"  
Without hesitation, the answer came. "Yes."  
"Why?"  
"I know all about your little affair together. It will end, one way or another.Why not go obsolete with her death?" His eyes flashed with accusation and malice.  
Oh God.mine was definitely not the best situation to be in. "What makes you think you know what's going on between your wife and me?" "I have ways of knowing-ways of finding things out. Now, I got a question I've asked you. It's traditional for you to provide your answer now, be it 'yes' or 'no'.What's it gonna be?"  
He was officially psycho. "There's no damn way I'm gonna kill someone, especially not a woman. And especially not for twenty grand. You'll have to raise your offer a little before I even consider it." "A little?" He seemed to consider. "And exactly how much is 'a little'?" "Oh, I'd say about ten grand." Anticipating his reaction, I kicked him away from me.to be exact, I kicked him down the stairs about two stories.  
Making a quick get-away, I rushed up to the nearest door, pulled it open, and darted through, not risking the possibility that a camera might catch my face. I was then on the fourth floor. Perfect, the radios of policemen could be heard in the distance, each officer reporting his or her location. They weren't far.  
"He got away! He went that way, that way!" Apparently Alex had had an encounter with one of the officers. Good for Alex. Bad for me.  
Rounding the nearest corner, I found myself in an operating room, presently occupied with four doctors in surgery transplanting a heart. Dumbly I waved.What else could I do? "Hi." The doctors stared. "Good work. Keep it up." The heart monitor's tones slowed. "Umm.I think you're losing him.Bye." I left, backing slowly.  
Once out, I could hear the dull sound of the monitor as the patient's heart stopped, but only momentarily. "I went into the wrong room." I spoke to myself, stifling a laugh. "Okay.okay, now where?"  
Soon, I found myself at a window looking down-all the way down. A while earlier I'd had half a motion to jump. "No." I told myself. There was no way I was gonna jump from such a height. Second floor, maybe. Third floor, with a little time to gather my thoughts. Fourth floor, I think not. Fifth floor, impossible-more radios blasted-but doable. I sighed heavily.  
Backing up to the wall opposite the window, after opening the window fully, I felt something prod my back. "Freeze!" 'Shoot. Actually, no, really, don't. I take that back now!'  
"Look, I really don't have time for this." I began, turning to face a young officer. "Perhaps we can continue this some other time? Why don't you set it up with my secretary? Maybe Friday would work.Is that day good for you? Say, about noonish?"  
"Put your hands on your head!" All right.That was a 'no'. Too bad! I hadn't gone so far just to be caught and locked up for life.and a life sentence was the best I could hope for after my past made up of theft.  
I stomped on one of the man's feet and then jabbed him in the stomach with a tightly-made fist. To be sure he'd have a headache for a while, I lifted his head and butted mine to it. Ouch, bad idea.  
Time to go. I gathered his rifle and handgun before taking a running start to my leap out the window. Falling through the air, I found it difficult to believe I'd live. But I obviously did.  
Luckily, or I think it was luckily, I landed on the roof of a car. It softened the land a bit.Not really, but one can exaggerate, can't they? I mean, really, really exaggerate.like, a lot.  
"What the hell?" Great, the car was occupied, full with cops. I'd landed on a police car. Just what I did not need was what I had. Shots were fired through the roof, one of them catching my left shoulder.  
With my 'inherited' rifle, I shot back, eventually injuring the two officers beneath me.  
Rolling off the car, I made the first move that came to mind. I dragged the two injured officers from their vehicle before conveniently finding the keys still in ignition and driving away.  
  
* * *  
  
Calico  
I sat in the darkness of my room, stroking the ebony fur of my cat, also called Calico. "Cali.We're gonna have company." I then silenced and listened to the hypnotic purring of my pet. A smile crossed my face, a smile most people would stop dead in their tracks to see, and my dark eyes glistened in the dim light.  
  
* * * David  
Anya wandered down the street, on her way home from her usual night walk. Headlights fell upon her as a car streamed down the vacant street. It was a police car. At first, she thought the driver had to be drunk, they were driving so crazily, but then it stopped in front of her, and the driver's window opened enough for her to see me, bleeding and nearly asleep, but I had recognized her in my uncommon state.  
Quickly she got in, pushing me into the passenger's seat so that she could drive us home. Shifting the gear, Anya got a good look at me, noticing the origin of the blood that soaked my shirt. "Jesus, David." She breathed, staring at the bullet wound. "What happened?"  
I, becoming delirious, had no idea what to say. "Well it all started thirty seven years ago. I was born in Neenah Wisconsin, eleven pounds, seven and a half ounces. My mother named me David. It'd always been her favorite name."  
"David? Shut up, okay?" She sounded concerned. "We have to get you back to my place."  
"I'm fine." Dignity took over to replace my moment of insanity.  
"Yeah, David, like hell you are!"  
I turned to the passenger window and watched until my lids dropped shut and I was unable to lift them. I couldn't fall asleep-the pain in my shoulder was too excruciating-but I sat there and listened quietly while Anya turned on the radio and listened carefully to one of her favorite songs, sometimes adding a word or two of song in-something she wouldn't ordinarily have done. I believe she did it only out of nervousness. Her father had been murdered (shot) and died from blood loss. She probably just didn't want history to repeat itself with me. 


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six  
  
David It was nearly midnight when we reached Anya's house. I had to lean on Anya, since I was dizzy from my loss of blood. The halls, elevator, and everything else within them spun around me, and I could not sanely do anything at the time to stop the carousel that was slowly making me dizzy to a sickening state.  
"Hold onto my shoulder, David.while I open the door." She insisted, shifting herself so she could retrieve a key from one deep pocket.  
I shifted weight until I was almost standing on my own, and then held her elbow to steady myself. The wound in my shoulder still stung like white fire, but I had no option other than to ignore it. Still a stream of blood ran down my arm; my sleeve had been dyed red from all the blood, and it clung to my arm.  
Anya, after unlocking the door and shoving it wide open, helped me into the living room, where I fell onto her old, worn sofa, weak both from sleep deprivation and pain. I wished I could just fall asleep, to wake up and find that I'd only been dreaming. Of course, that wasn't an option for me then.  
"David? Where are you? I heard about the police looking for you and everything. What's going on David? Are you in trouble, or that all a mistake? We need to talk." Nicole. That was her voice; I'd recognize it anywhere. Where was she?  
"David, it's me, Nicole. Please talk to me if you're there now! .You aren't. You have to call me. I must know what's going on."  
"I miss you. I've called twice already, I know.but I'm worried. Get back to me.I'm so sorry.I never meant for any of this to happen.I love you."  
I raised my head, yet saw only Anya.standing next to her answering machine. It had been Nicole I'd heard, but only a recording.  
Anya walked over to me and sat at the foot of the couch. "You had the nerve to actually give that lady my number?" All I could do was nod. "David, why? Were you protecting yourself, is that it? Well that's just great.Now the police can trace her calls to me!" "Yes." I agreed. ".but not you to me." I sat up slowly, facing her. "They won't touch you." I reassured. "Sure, they might trace the calls. They might come here. But they won't find you here." "Why's that?" She sounded depressed. I knew she wouldn't be very keen on the matter, but hadn't expected her to act like that. I had a thought then.It could work, even if it would be slightly dangerous. "Because you'll be on the train to California with me." "Excuse me?" "Anya.There's something I need to tell you." I started. She took a few steps away after getting back to her feet and turned on a table lamp that radiated a dim light. Then she looked down at me, unblinking and completely still. "Yes?" I found myself unable to speak. How was I supposed to tell her about Steven talking about killing his wife and asking me to do it? "Well." I couldn't do it. "Nothing. Never mind." "David. Nothing in your vocabulary is something; I know you. Now what is it?" "Well." "Is it just me, or have we been through this already? Now tell me what's wrong!" And I did.  
  
* * *  
  
Anya looked dumbstruck. "Oh." "Oh, what 'oh'?! The man asked me to kill his wife, Anya! He offered to pay me to kill his wife! I mean.in case you haven't noticed, that's not exactly normal.for most people-for decent people." "I noticed, I noticed, all right!" She paused. "Are you gonna do it?" "What do you mean, 'are you gonna do it?' No! Of course not!" Our eyes met. She pulled the truth from my lips. "Well.maybe." She smiled. "What do you mean, maybe?" "What do I mean maybe? I mean.er.What do I mean? I mean.I'm considering it. Yes, yes, that's it. I am; I'm taking it into consideration." "You are going to kill Nicole?" I looked into her deep eyes, trying not to stare, but finding it impossible not to. "I didn't say that." "What?" "I said I was gonna kill her. Who mentioned that I myself would do it?" Anya frowned. "I know someone. He owes me, and happens to be a killer." "David, no! Something could go wrong; we have no way of knowing what might occur if you have this guy kill her." "He has no connections. His recorded name is an alias he made years ago. If he kills her, great! If he doesn't, then I'll have to figure something else out." "And if Nicole kills him?" I gave her a shocked look. "I highly doubt that Nicole is capable of killing someone. She won't even swat a fly if it's buzzin' around her head. Besides.this guy is good. She won't have a chance to do anything." In her tone was doubt.doubt in me and my word. "Are you sure?" "No.But either he does it.or I do. Whose life would you rather jeopardize?" Her eyes closed for a moment and she lifted her left hand to her forehead, as if she has a sudden headache. When her lids lifted slowly, she looked at the floor a few moments before she faced me again. It was apparent that she had no approval to offer. "I wasn't going to do it, but with the money you and I could get outta here. You'd be safe.and maybe I could get a better studio." "You said Alex offered to pay you. How much?" "Twenty grand. I told him ten more, or no deal" I explained, with emphasis on the 'twenty'. Anya's eyes widened considerably. "I'm listening." With a small grin, I described my newly fledged plan. We'd kill Nicole together, meet on the train-after instructing Adam to deliver the money to us there at a given time-and make our way to California, or wherever in the world we wanted.  
  
* * *  
  
Calico I rose from my spot on the couch, reacting immediately to the slightest sound. I backed into the shadows, so if there was an intruder, I'd have the element of surprise on my own side. They enveloped me like enclosing arms and presently, I found my back against a wall opposite my apartment's main entrance. With a swift movement, I'd loaded and raised a rifle.just to be precautious. The doorknob rattled as someone attempted to enter. Then the wooden door swung on its rusty hinges until my current employer was revealed completely. Cali pranced into the room from the kitchen and sat directly before the new- comer. She began purring and swishing her tail back and forth, back and forth, until the figure in the doorway gave her their complete attention. They nearly froze though, when nudged in the stomach by the barrel of my rifle. I had made my way closer when my loyal cat played distraction. "You have my money?" I inquired, smugly. "No." The voice was deep and showed confidence.something I didn't like. "You didn't finish the job. I hired you to kill my wife, not wound her.You shot her, so what? She lived. The sum of it all is you.in a whole mess of shit." Angered, I jerked the butt of my rifle up to slam into the forehead of her deceiver. "One who deceives gets deceived." I muttered, fiercely. "Bastard." I added, after a moment's thought. Then I looked down on Alex's unconscious form on the floor.  
  
* * *  
  
David Nicole checked out of the hospital. She still was sore, but would live, for the time being. Her calls to me had not been answered, so she knew something had to be really wrong. 'Gee, ya think? I mean, I only got shot and asked to kill her. Other than that I was just fine, thanks for asking.' On her way home, Nicole listened to radio. There was a report about the night before, when I'd been pursued. The police had received a call about a man called David Marrow, who was wanted in South America for theft. That woke Nicole up. She turned up the volume, and within seconds she knew everything I'd kept secret, or nearly everything. She knew my name was Jordan, that I'd had three affairs, and swindled all three of the women out of their money, and that-not including that-I had a record a mile long (mild exaggeration). "It can't be him." Nicole tried to convince herself. Then the police were so kind as to broadcast my description, down to the last detail. How considerate of them, the jerks. Realizing the truth about me, Nicole was not so prone for her calls to be returned. "Dammit!" She cried, literally, wiping away a beaded tear from one eye.  
  
* * *  
  
I was sitting alone in Anya's apartment. Anya had gone to buy some more bandages. With both an injured leg and shoulder, I didn't know if she'd be able to get-or even find-enough. Ignoring the ringing phone, I made my way to the kitchen to get myself a drink. I found a bottle of Coke, and was just lifting it to my lips to drink when I heard the message Nicole left. "You lying, deceiving, stealing bastard! I trusted you! How could you do this David? .Oh, your name's not even David is it? Is it Jordan?" She sighed and I began to drink. The message meant nothing to me. Sure, she might give out my address, but I knew some people I could stay with for a while. Besides, she'd be dead soon, and Anya would be with me on the train to.to.somewhere. Then again, Anya hadn't given me a definite answer, but in a few days I was sure she would. "By the way," Nicole continued. "did you find my wedding ring? I think I left it at your place last time we had dinner." I choked and, not having any other choice, spat a mouthful of Coke on the ground. If she gave my address in an anonymous phone call, and her ring was discovered in my apartment, I'd have three charges: theft, the injuring of two police officers, and adultery. Those charges could lock me up for the rest of my life, or sentence me to death. Either way was one I decided not to turn and experience. I had to find that ring and hide it somewhere. somewhere no one would be able to find it.ever.  
  
* * *  
  
Anya woke me in the morning. She gave me a half-hearted smile. "I'll do it." "Do what?" "Go with you when you leave. Not because of the money, but because I want to." 'Okay.' "It'd be nice to get out of this dump for a change." I looked around. I'd gotten used to the place after a while, but I internally agreed with my friend. "I go on one condition. We go to the place of my choosing." Looking at her, her eyes pleading to be contented, I could hardly say 'no' to her. "All right.Where're we going?" She gave me a full smile then.something I hadn't seen in a while. For some reason, Anya rarely smiled. She was usually serious and quiet, and always kept to herself. In my time of knowing her-seven and a half years-I'd learned that. Also in that time, I'd seen her smile a real smile only twice. "Orlando." Okay, that was a little ways away. "Works for me, but why Orlando?" "I like the warm weather, and it's not very populated in the summer. And we'd be sure no one knew us." I like the way she thinks. She's intelligent, and is normally the first of the two of us to point out the small things. Shrugging mildly, I responded. "Orlando it is." Almost nervously, Anya inquired on how, exactly, we were supposed to kill Adam's wife, without indicating that it might have been us. "I'll have to ask Alex." "You pushed him down two flights of stairs a day ago, and now you're thinking about visiting him? Isn't that a little, oh.I dunno.idiotic?" With a deep breath, I decided we had no other choice. Anya looked into my eyes. "Do you really trust him, David?" "Not entirely, no." "Then how can we do this?" "First we try, then we trust." "Okay. What's the move?" "I need to make a phone call." And so I lifted up the phone and carefully dialed the Velmen's number, and waited for the answer on the other line. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven  
  
David It was early, about one in the morning, when I decided to go across the hall to my room. It was about time I went home. Besides, I had to find that wedding ring. Again, Anya had gone out somewhere and left me at her place to sleep, eat, and. contemplate. By contemplate I mean think about Alex, about Nicole.the shithole I called home.life.the world.the nature of the universe.and, um.my toes. Entering my apartment, I nearly fell over a body on the ground.a very large body wearing a suit that smelled of tobacco smoke. I didn't know it then, but it also the very rich body who'd practically ordered me to murder his wife the other day.  
  
* * *  
  
Calico Anya was outside the door to my house. She pushed the door open and stepped in slowly. Of course, what happened next was completely expected to her, since she'd been in the apartment before. Cali, the Shadow cat, as Anya sometimes called her, for that's what she was, slunk into the room, keeping mainly hidden in the shadows. She then stopped before Anya and, recognizing her, began purring. After a few seconds, my cat went over to Anya and rubbed gently against her legs, a welcoming gesture. I entered from the bedroom, where I had been waiting. Anya walked over to me and smiled. "I thought you trusted me." She spoke, reaching out to take a Walther from one of my hands. I frowned. "I don't trust anyone, and you shouldn't either. People have endless faults, but one of their worst is trust." "I trust everyone, Calico. It's the demons inside them I don't have confidence in." There was no response acted on my part. I just watched my neighbor questioningly. "If people trust, and you do not.What does that make you? A perfect being?" Anya smugly inquired. "No," The answer came, "A safe one."  
  
* * *  
  
David I crouched to peer at the face of.whoever it was on the ground.and recognized it to be Alex. How the hell did he get in there? I didn't know, but had a feeling I was about to find out. "Hey!" I shouted, almost at the top of my lungs. He didn't budge. 'Sound sleeper.' I thought mentally. I stood, faced the kitchen, walked into it, filled a glass with water, went back to the living room, and dumped the glass over Alex. He remained motionless. Then I turned and walked back to the kitchen, to return with another filled glass to dump on him. Again, it didn't work. 'Damn.' I thought. As a result of a need for a last attempt, I slapped him across the face and flourished. "Wake up!" Okay, that worked. Alexander's head jerked up as his eyes opened wide. "Calico!" "Uh, sorry, you got the name wrong. It's David, remember?" "David?" It was probably a good thing that he didn't remember me, but still, it was very likely he only had short time amnesia. "I'm the one who's been, um, seeing your wife that you now want to kill her.You know, that David."  
  
* * *  
  
Calico Anya and I were about to go for a walk in the city when Anya noticed something. There was a slim line of blood on the ground before the front door. It led out of the door and into the hall. When the two of us left, she saw that it also peculiarly trailed into David's apartment. "Calico?" "Yeah?" "What have you been up to lately?" "What do mean?" Anya faced me, her friend, suspicion rising. "Have you killed anyone lately?" My eyes, though hidden as usual by thick lenses of my shades, turned to ice. "No." "What's the blood from then?" 


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight  
  
David "Someone broke into the house. I found out. They didn't see me coming." Calico spoke coldly, not caring about a single thing she said. Anya's face twisted into a frown. "You said you didn't kill anyone." ".that is true.for a while." "Oh, come on, Calico! What's wrong with you?" "What do you mean what's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?" Anya kept her temper somewhat better than her paranoid, delusional, whacked out, short, dark friend. "Nothing I'd reveal to you." "Same here." Her voice was slightly softer. She was calming down, a little. "What aren't you telling me?" Calico, thinking quickly, lied. She composed a story in a moment; one that was threatening, and even remotely believable. "I was framed, okay? Someone wanted me to do something, and I refused.so they sent some guy to kill me tonight." After a long, silent pause, she continued. "I handled it." "I see. So handling it is basically dragging the body over to David's place, huh? Wow, I wish I could 'handle' things as well as you do." Anya outraged. She was too smart to lap up that obviously made-up tale. Instead of playing along, she turned on her heel and left swiftly. The hall was dark, so she seemed to dissolve into it.  
  
* * *  
  
Alex sat up hesitantly. He seemed well aware that I had borrowed his firearm and had it loaded as a precaution. Slowly, a hand reached up to rub his forehead, where a black and blue bruise had risen. "You look terrible." I spoke, laughing to myself. "Here, let me help you." I extended my left hand to help him to his feet. Noticing my gesture, Alex accepted my hand. "No.let me help you!" With a strong grip on my hand, he jerked me down to the ground and retrieved his gun to hold it, ready to fire and blow off my head. Knowing he'd shoot me if I tried anything, I tentatively tried something.  
In a powerful movement, I brought my knee into his ribcage. In satisfaction, I listened to the cracking of bones that told me at least one rib had been broken, maybe two. The sound was satisfying to my ears, and was accompanied by Alex's low moan of pain.  
"I'm sorry! Did that hurt? Let me help you up." I put my hands under his arms and dragged him to his feet. This movement stretched muscles and sinew across the broken bones painfully, as I'd intended.  
Sitting Alex up, I spoke again. "I think the ball's in my court now.Care to see how I'll play?"  
  
* * *  
  
Nicole got home from driving. Immediately, she checked the messages, curious about what I had to say about her earlier call.  
A female voice came on, for some reason Nicole didn't know at the moment. "Hi." It started, almost at a whisper. "You don't know me, but I know you." It trailed off, almost disappearing completely. "I thought you'd like to know something. Alex betrayed you, your trust. He blackmailed David, your lover-don't ask how I know about that-and almost killed him tonight. I know how this sounds, but you have to be careful. Don't trust anyone.not even yourself. Be very careful if you want to live."  
The shooting had made Nicole mistrustful. After hearing that one message, she suddenly became very paranoid.  
There was another message on the machine that played. It was from Alex. "Hey, it's me. Are you there? Hello? You're gone, okay. Look, I just wanted you to know that I have an.appointment I completely forgot about until now, and I'll be gone a while, and will come home late. Don't wait up."  
Nicole was shaking. Fright had taken her, and she didn't know how to cope with it. "I won't." She murmured softly, voice trembling. Thinking quickly, she made a choice. At the time she didn't know that it was a bad one, but she packed up and got back in the car, after deleting the first message. When Alex got home, she didn't want him knowing she knew. Then she went to the place she though of as her home away from home.my apartment. She walked in to see me standing at her injured husband's side. Oh-I forgot to mention this, but Alex had pulled out another gun while I reclaimed the fallen one. We were pointing the weapons at each other; both ready to fire.Nicole didn't have exactly the best timing imaginable, did she? In fact, it was most inopportune. 


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine  
  
David "Jesus!" was her initial response. I turned my head slightly to meet her eyes. "Hi, Nicole. Um.this isn't the best time." Alex straightened himself as much as possible and clenched his teeth. Poor Alex, being caught with me like this.uh, and vise versa. Nicole began to turn, I suppose to run, but stopped at Alex's call. "Nicole, stop! I can explain." "You'd better start explaining now then, 'cause I'm not giving you a hell of a lot of time." Okay, obviously, she was abashed. That's bad for the morale.really. "Yeah, Alex, why don't you explain all this to your wife? I mean, this might be the perfect time to explain to her what we've discussed the last few times we've met." I prodded, facing him, my eyes meeting his. He was trapped, like a cornered fox in a hunt. "Yes." Nicole agreed, curiosity driving her. Standing taller, I watched Alex struggle for words. Unfortunately, they came. "I came over to look at some of David's work and someone broke in. They turned out the lights. We both drew our guns, and each mistook the other for the trespasser, and by the time the lights came back on, the intruder was gone. Then you came in." He was quick. He was good.But, not good enough. I vowed to beat him some day, best him at his own game. I looked from him to Nicole before talking. I knew Adam had too much on me. If I told Nicole how her husband had really shown up at my house, I knew Adam would bust me right then and there. I agreed. "Yes, exactly. That's what happened." "You don't sound too sure." She whipped the words out. "Sure I'm sure." I tried to make my voice reassuring. Nicole looked at me, looking for some sign that I was lying, but I allowed her none. I wouldn't risk the revealing of my identity for Nicole's contentment. Eventually (Or finally, as I thought) she turned away, having found nothing. I glared at Alex. "I think you'd better come back some other time to see my work. I've just remembered something I have to do." He made no movement to leave. "Now!" I added, voice raised in clear distraction.  
"I believe we have something to discuss, Mr. Marrow." Alex made a weak  
attempt. "You know the time?" He glanced at his watch. "Yes." "Will you give it to me?" "Seven-twenty." He spoke, glancing at his watch.  
I frowned. "If you knew the time, why'd you need to look at your watch?"  
"Good point. If you need the time, why don't you have a watch?" "Good point." I ended it there, too aggravated to continue with a war of words. What was the point anyway? "Anyway, there's somewhere I have to be." I made an excuse.  
Adam persisted though, and continued what he'd begun before my  
interruption. "We still need to talk." He insisted so I couldn't  
refuse. "Call me in an hour. I assume you have my number?" "No."  
Swiftly, I gave it to him. Then I walked him and Nicole to the door,  
only to close it as Nicole spoke. "Why are you wet, Alex?" His explanation was one of weakness, but Nicole accepted it all the same.  
  
* * *  
  
I searched all of my rooms, leaving noting untouched. That ring had to be found! I moved from living room to the kitchen to the bathroom before searching my bedroom. There I found it, tangled and hidden in the untidy sheets of my bed. The silver ring was safely hidden in my pocket and I cleared my mind, with nothing to worry about other than that phone call from one Alexander Velmen.  
  
* * *  
  
I paced back and forth in the hall. An hour had passed. Alex's call should have come. It worried me that the phone hadn't rung. Alex didn't seem the type that wouldn't call, especially when the call could be of such significance. At the sound of a bell, I jumped, to realize only that I'd heard the clear ringing of my cell phone. Hurriedly I pulled it from a pocket, held it to my right ear, and answered. "Hello?" "Hello David. Do you have an answer for me about my.offer?" Alex's voice was low and serious. I went to a window and opened it to feel a cool breeze. "Is Nicole in the room?" I inquired. His word choice would be affected and probably limited if she was. I knew this, and was prepared to translate what he could tell me, if needed. In the background I heard her. Well, that answered my question. "I understand.How do you want the job done?" He seemed to release a held breath. "That's a 'yes'?" "Yes." "Okay, hey, can you hear me? You're breaking up! I can't hear you. Are you there?" He hung up. I realized why: he couldn't explain, in detail, how to murder his wife while she was standing in the same room. I'd be hearing from him again. and soon.  
  
* * *  
  
Anya, meanwhile, was out on the streets considering how to explain what she'd heard to me, planning on me to still be in her apartment. She couldn't just tell me hat there was a corpse in my apartment.okay, she could.but didn't plan on it.  
Next she figured that it would be possible to move the body from my place  
to Calico's again, but that would be messy, and Cali would almost surely  
be lurking around somewhere.ever-watching. But that seemed to her to be  
the quickest solution, so she began walking to our building.  
On her way up to our floor, Anya had an encounter with the Velmens. All  
right, so she didn't bump into them or anything, but she saw them leaving  
my room. Thinking the worst, she assumed that they were setting me up.  
They might have hired Calico-her ex-friend-to plant a body in my  
apartment so it looked like I'd killed someone. That would make four  
charges against me, and certainly send me to jail. At the moment, Anya  
couldn't see why the Velmens might set me up.but believed they had.  
Dodging the occurrence of meeting the Velmens, Anya made her way to my  
door. Looking at the opening beneath it, she saw that the lights were  
out. Quietly she opened the door a crack to peer in. Then, not thinking  
anyone was home, Anya went in.  
A shadow crossed her path. A small, black, four-legged shadow with soft  
fur and pointed ears. "Cali! What are you doing here?" She recognized  
her neighbor's black cat. 


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten  
  
David A few minutes had passed since Nicole and Alex had left. I sat unaccompanied in my charcoal-lit studio in silence, waiting.waiting for something; I couldn't say what. A creak sounded from the hallway, probably sounding Anya's return to her own place across from mine. The sound was slight, but it startled me for a moment. I had not been expecting her back for a while, and it was late enough for me to know that all others in the building were asleep. The knob of my door slowly turned, a quiet movement, but one I never the less could hear. I got to my feet from my sunken-in sitting position in my suede lounge chair and crossed the room to pick up a vase and stand straight and unheard by the door. The wooden door was pushed open and a figure stepped in. I swung the vase, but the person ducked and caught my hand before I could throw a punch. The vase fell and shattered into shards on the wood floor. "Hey, David." It was Anya. "I hope that wasn't expensive." She added, after glancing down at the broken vase. "It was." I chuckled. "Only the best of china can knock you out.It's insured." And then at a whisper I added. "I hope." A sigh issued from within me. I was tired, dog tired, but it was no time to sleep. Alex had called a second ago with his cell to inform me that Nicole had gone to stay with a friend for the night.which gave us a chance to plan things. He wanted to meet at three in the morning...to be sure we weren't seen in conference. I'd go to his apartment. "I assume you know the address." He'd said, after a moment's thought. "And if you don't, which I highly doubt, I'd recommend finding out." Anya looked at me, a tint of concern and a hint of.dare I say it.ardence shown in her dark eyes. The latter was new; something I'd never specifically discerned in her before. In all the years we'd been friends, this was the first thing I hadn't seen coming. And the strangest part was.I almost felt fervent myself. 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven  
  
David "You're late." Alex mocked when I walked in. Then he realized that I had just come through a door that had been locked, and he hadn't answered the door. "How long've you had that key?" I met his brown, glaring eyes and could tell that he loved every moment of it. "'bout a week or two, maybe three, I couldn't say. Nicole gave it to me on our second day, so that would mean." I pretended to think about it a while, knowing that every instant Alex's eyes grew colder, his temper worse, and him more irritable, furious.and jealous. Too bad for him! ".ah, yes, three weeks, four and a half days, twelve hours, seven minutes, and.ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, etc. seconds. I believe that's about as accurate as you can expect me to be, or did you want me to give you milliseconds too?" To my surprise and dissatisfaction, Alex actually smiled. "You really are on top of things, aren't you?" "You intended no pun, I'm sure." I started, lips bending into the closest thing to a smile as I could conjure. With Alex's attention won, my response lengthened. "If it's not one thing, it's another, if you catch my meaning." He did; and he wasn't too happy about it either. "You sick piece of sh-" I interrupted him with a knuckle sandwich. "Sorry 'bout that. Did that hurt?" I helped him from the ground. "I only ask because it looked like it did." "If you mess up or do anything like that again, I'm gonna kill you!" He shouted, wiping blood from a split lip. "Really? Personally, or do you plan to hire an assassin to hunt me down and finish me off quietly for you, eh? I'm thinking you'll do the second thing I said. In fact, I think you already hired someone to get rid of me as soon as I murder Nicole. Am I right? Is that your plan?" He gave me a sinister grin. "Only if you fuck up, David.Only if you fuck up." "How'm I gonna know if I mess up? What, you got a list of rules or something for me?" "Something like that." I didn't mean it. I'd only been being sarcastic. "Yeah? Give it to me." He reached into a pocket and pulled out a white slip of lined paper. Then he held it out for me to take and read. I accepted it and shoved it into a back pocket. I'd read it later.maybe. Personally, I didn't really care if he sent his little assassin after me. If he kept his word-and I'd make sure he did-then I could easily evade them with thirty grand. "I am getting thirty grand, yes?" I asked, to be absolutely certain. "Of course, and not a penny less.if I'm satisfied, and if you actually kill her." There was a brief quiet moment that he broke. "Anyway.Everything you'll need is on that piece of paper. Read it, memorize it, and don't forget it. I'll see you around." He spoke dismissingly, but I wouldn't be gotten rid of that easily. "What about my money?" Alex sighed. "Ah yes.you get thirty grand: half now, half after the job's done if-and only if it's done well." He momentarily left the room and returned with a duffle bag. I opened it and glanced at the money. It looked like fifteen grand, so I zipped up the bag again, shook Alex's presently outstretched hand, and turn to the door. As I went through it, I spoke over my shoulder. "Just make sure she's not spending the night at some friend's house again, Alex." "It's a deal." 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve  
  
David A hand clenched tightly into a shaking fist knocked on my door. "David?" It was the one I'd agreed to kill. It was Nicole. "David please.you've got to let me in!" The heavy wooden door swung open to put a dark silhouetted form into view. Nicole immediately ran to it to throw her arms around them without taking the time to be sure it was me. "I didn't know where else to go. Please, you've got to let me stay here." "Well, after your entrance and plea, I might.but this isn't my house." Two soft hands took Nicole's arms and lay them, straight at her side. Anya stepped back into the weak light coming through the window from the moon. It was bright enough, though, to distinguish that she was two things: she was a she.and she therefore most certainly was not me. Nicole let out a gasp. She was obviously upset. Her whole body trembled. "Wh- who are you?" "A friend-and neighbor of David's. I'm house-sitting 'till he gets back." "Where is he?" Anya didn't know what to tell her. "He's at your place, I believe, talking to your husband." "Why?" "They're working out a deal." "For what? Which piece?" She motioned around the room at my art. Mind reeling, searching for an answer, Anya decided she had to get Nicole out of there. "How do you expect me to know? I'm his house keeper, not his business partner or a buyer!" Nicole straightened. "Does he even have a partner?" "You ask a lot of stupid questions, don't you? Look, I do not know." She emphasized the last four words and spoke slowly to be sure she was heard correctly.  
  
* * *  
  
I, meanwhile, was returning home.ascending the stairs since the elevator had broken down for the fifth time that month. It was so old; I would have thought the landowner would've replaced it years ago. Anyway, I was on my way up when Nicole came rushing down from my room. She ran into me, not paying attention, and fell. I caught her before she could tumble down the stairs, wrapping my arms about her waist to keep her aloft. "Thank you.I-"Then she recognized me. "David! I was just looking for you!" "So I see." She sighed, both with weariness and frustration. "I'm sorry about the message I left, that last one was." her voice trailed off. "It's all right." I was still holding her. I didn't have to anymore, she had straightened, but I didn't want her to think anything was wrong. "Come on up." I coaxed. Nicole's eyes fluttered up to mine. "Would you mind?" "I never have before." That brought a smile to her face and she moved closer to deliver a passionate kiss. I couldn't refuse it, because she'd know something was up if I did, so I held her in my arms tightly until the kiss was finished; then I led her up the stairs to my studio. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen  
  
Calico Alex lifted the phone to his ear and waited as it rang. He was calling me. He had another job he needed done. "Yes?" An irritated voice. "Calico? Alex, here. I need you to do something for me." "For how much?" "Ten grand.well, twenty if you do it tonight." "Sounds good so far. What's the job?" There was a momentary silence, as if Alex was either reconsidering or thinking. I grew impatient; I didn't like to be kept waiting. "What's the job, Velmen, or I hang up now without another word spoken!" "Our friend David has a female.acquaintance that knows about our deal. I want her taken care of." "Who is it?" Alex's voice lowered. "You remember the grand opening of the Filipino exhibit at the museum that Nicole and I went to.and David?" "Yes." "I'm pretty sure the one you're after was Mr. Marrow's date that night. Now, I want you to find her, kill her, and dispose of her. Do you understand me Calico?" Anya. It was Anya. How could I kill her? Sure, we'd argued.but we'd also been friends for a long time. "Yes." Oh well.Too bad for Anya, I finally decided. Emotion wasn't something a good assassin let get in the way of their job, or money. And I was a good assassin. "I'll do it, and I expect my money by early morning. See you then." I hung up and closed my eyes. listening to the sounds of the night.  
  
* * *  
  
David I unlocked my door and Nicole followed me in. She seemed nervous about something. "What piece is Alex making an offer on? He wouldn't tell me when I spoke to him a while ago." She inquired, after a moment. 'What? Oh, yeah.Sorry, I got confused.' "Oh, umm, it's one you haven't seen.in fact, it's one I haven't even made yet. Alex ordered it specially." This was pretty close to the truth. I walked over to my bar and began pouring a drink, my back to Nicole. "How long did you talk about it tonight?" "Huh? We didn't. Talk tonight, I mean." "Really? Your housekeeper seemed certain that you'd gone to meet Alex." I turned suddenly. "Housekeeper?" What was goin' on? "I spoke to her when I came up to see you. She said you'd gone into the city to my house to talk to Alex about a deal." "Uh.what did she look like?" "Well, she was tall, had medium-length dark hair, eyes that were almost dark enough to be black, and.David, what's wrong?" I was too deep in thought to answer. She'd just described Anya. God. "How long ago did you talk to Alex?" "Just a few minutes ago, before I came downstairs." 'Shit,' I thought. "Did you talk about me, at all?" 'Please say no.' "What's going on?" "Did you talk about me at all?!" I was going crazy. I had to know. Nicole came over to me and hugged me, trying to calm my nerves. Her head lay on my shoulder and one hand reached up behind my back to gently comb through my hair. "Calm down, just clam down David.It's okay, I only asked if you were still there. That's all." 'That's all! That's all?' No fuckin' way was that all! She'd called Alex minutes ago and asked if I was there. He was smart enough to figure out that she didn't just guess that we were meeting. Someone had to have told her. I knew he'd make it a goal to find and kill that person, and I made it mine to not let that happen to Anya. I had to find Anya and warn her right away! But Nicole was here. She had her arms around me so it felt as though she'd never let go; but she had to! Then, in my panicky state, I realized that I'd brought my drink with me when I turned. I pretended to shift so I could hold her closer, but accidentally spilled my drink instead. Nicole jumped as the bourbon spindled down her back. "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" I apologized. "That's all right. I'll just go clean up." "All right." I invented an excuse to leave as quickly as I could. "I'll be right back! I'm gonna go get some cigarettes!" "I didn't know you smoked." Nicole called from the other room. 'I do now.' 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen  
  
David Anya was halfway down the block when I caught up with her, running. Her pace, on the other hand, was steady and un-rushed. She kept walking as I sprinted up to her side breathing heavily. "Anya, we've got problems." She turned to me, briefly silent, but curiosity growing within her. "What is it?" "Well.one: Alex knows you know about the 'deal'. I think he's gonna kill you. Two: Nicole's in my room and I don't know how to get rid of her." Turning to face me, Anya responded. "What do you mean; you don't know how to get rid of her? Ask her to go. Tell her something came up-which isn't all that far from the truth. And if she doesn't go then, I'd be happy to knock her out and dump her outside." "I'd rather you didn't." "Fine.you knock her out and." She smiled, assuring me that she'd only been kidding. "We'll think of something." I grinned back. "Yeah.together." I put my arm around her quickly and hugged her. Then I released her and turned. "I gotta go." "Back to Nicole?" "Back to Nicole." She turned her head and called. "This isn't working it out together!" I grabbed her, spun her around, and began walking back to the building. "Now it is." I answered, locking arms with her. Anya looked up and over at me, as if she was about to protest my action. But then her smile just broadened as we walked together, both trying to come up with a plan that might be acceptable to the other.and doable. 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen  
  
Calico I stroked the softly-tousled fur of Cali as I sat, as was my custom, in darkness. Waiting. Cali suddenly leapt from my lap and ran to the door, tail held high like a flag. "Row. R-raw! R-raw!" The cat called, sounding an alert. Using a small, hidden peephole, I watched as Anya and David walked down the hall together, arm in arm, talking discreetly. I watched as the man whispered in Anya's ear and she nodded silently. I watched as David opened the door and took Anya inside with him. I knew I had to wait for Anya to come out before I could make my move. Alex would be very disagreeable if David was also killed.  
  
* * *  
  
David "Nicole?" I called, wondering why she wasn't waiting in the living room. "Where are you?" I held a hand out to stop Anya. "Wait here." I whispered. She backed up a few paces. Slowly, I pushed open the door to my bedroom. It was dim, and hard to see, but not enough so for me to be blind. No one was there. Next, I went through to the bathroom, the only other room in the house other than the kitchen, but I'd walked through there on my way into the bedroom. "Nicole?" There she was in the bathroom, sitting in a corner on the floor with the lights off, and being silent as if she'd seen a ghost. "Nicole!" I took hasty steps toward her and crouched at her side. She breathed heavily; in short gasps for air. "What happened?" Recognizing me, she leaned forward and clung to me tightly. I could do nothing but hold her as she moved closer and eventually pulled me down into a sitting position. Meanwhile, the door leading to and from the kitchen opened gradually and Anya peaked in. Obviously shocked at the scene, she began backing up. I managed to shrug, and lifted a finger to indicate that the present situation might take a minute. "Nicole, you've got to talk to me!" I exclaimed, trying to push her slowly away so I could look at her. Tears swerved down her face but I soon lifted her chin with one gentle hand and made her look into my eyes. "Look, I can't help you until you tell me what's going on, okay?" She nodded, still obviously still upset. "It was her." her statement faded to a whisper. ".the woman who did this." She motioned to the nearly-healed wound that marked where she'd been shot. "The lady who shot you was here?" "Yes." Voice shaking, she finally made a full confession. "She came in and walked around. There was a cat with her. It was.all black. It had eyes that.seemed to search too. I think they came here for me. They know I'm here." "How could they know?" "The woman's cat, Cali, I think she was called, smelled something on the couch and the person picked it up." She paused, taking a deep breath. "It was my purse. It had my I. D., drivers license, my money, everything." 'Shit shit and, again, shit' "Okay. It's okay. We'll figure something out. We'll make everything all right.I promise." Nicole made no movement, so I felt I had to do something. Leaning in, I kissed her cheek gently and then, while pulling away, I did a foolish thing. I told her to leave the city. "Go to your mother's in the country. You'll be safe there, in a place no one can find you." "David, come with me." It almost sounded as though she was begging. Her sparkling, hazy eyes pleaded with me. But I knew my place. It was not with her. "How'd you explain me?" "I don't know." She admitted. "But we don't have to go to my mother's. We can go somewhere else.anywhere; it doesn't matter to me-as long as we're together." How could I refuse without raising suspicion? I was supposed to love her, criminal or not. "You know I'm a wanted man. If we left, I'd have to change my name again, and probably even change my appearance. The police almost caught me the night I came to the hospital to see you. I don't wanna go through that again." "I'll go to mother's then.so you can find me. I'll give you the address." "All right." I smiled. "Stay here a moment. I'll be right back." "Hey! Can you bring me back a cigarette?" "Sure.I didn't know you smoked." "I don't, yet." I went through to the kitchen, where Anya was trying to be patient while waiting. "What took you so long?" The words shot at me when I walked in the room and was detected. I sighed. "She needed a while to calm down before she'd talk to me." "Really? How'd she calm down, by nearly suffocating you by how tightly she held you?" "You know.you're not that far off." I looked at her. There was some jealousy mixed in there, poorly veiled in her eyes. "We've got another problem. I absently and very stupidly talked her into going to her mother's place in the country." "You what?!" She took it pretty well. "Why the hell did you do that? I mean, that is the stupidest thi-" I covered her mouth with a hand. "Shut up a moment, okay? There's more." Slowly I began to uncover her mouth, only to discover that she still had more remaining she wanted to say. "-ng I've ever hear-"This time I stopped her mouth with my own. I pulled her into my arms and kept my lips pressed against hers. Our bodies pressed together, though at first Anya struggled a little, still infuriated. But only a little, and then her fighting ceased. Only then did I release her, my arms falling to my sides while my eyes remained on the momentarily speechless friend before me. Before she could voice a reaction, I spoke. "Calico is Alex's hired assassin. She shot Nicole and she's the one he'll probably send after you. In fact, I think he already has. He must have guessed that you were the one that had told Nicole about our meeting and called Calico. Then she came over here in case you were still here, but you weren't. You were outside with me. Nicole saw her and hid and the rest's history." I took a breath, and then realized that I still held Anya tightly in my arms when she looked down and I followed her gaze. "Sorry." I let go and swallowed. "You have any cigarettes?" "What?" "Cigarettes. I need a pack. "Oh. I'll look." "Thanks." 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen  
  
David "Here." I handed Nicole one of the cigarettes that Anya had bought down at the corner gas station for me. Then I held out a lighter for her. Next, I lit my own. "Thanks." "No problem." "Where were you?" I couldn't afford to hesitate. "I had to get some air. Sorry, I shoulda asked you along." She allowed me a smile. "That's all right." "But it isn't. I shouldn't have left you alone again." In response, all I received was a sigh. She was tired. and with good reason. The time was nearly six in the morning, after the long hours had passed. "Tell ya what. How 'bout you get some sleep in there," I pointed in at the bedroom. "And I'll lock the door and wake you in a few hours." "Aren't you going to bed?" "No. I'm not tired." which was a lie; I was tired. but I wasn't going to just leave Anya in the other room waiting. "Okay." I helped her into bed, covered her up, and left for the living room. Anya approached me and reached out to touch my arm. "What're you gonna do now?" I turned to face the bar. "After tonight? Get drunk." I went toward my bar, and then poured bourbon. "D'ya care to join me?" "Do you have wine?" I looked at her directly. Wine? She wanted wine after finding out that her former friend was a hired assassin that was after both her and Nicole.possibly me as well? Okay then. To each his (or her) own, as they say. "Yeah. I've got this stuff called White Zymphondel. Do you like white wine?" "Yeah, I love it." "It's above the fridge. Help yourself." I watched as Anya passed me and went to get the wine. She opened a cabinet to get a glass. "Do you want me to pour you some, or aren't you going to have some with me?" "Would you like me to join you?" Her shoulders shrugged. "It would be nice."  
  
".As you wish. I'll have a glass." My friend removed two wine glasses from the cabinet and carefully poured the almost-clear liquid into them. While walking back, she slowly mixed them, which brought out the flavor more. With a steady hand, Anya delivered one glass to me. I drank it in a single, large gulp. Shaking her head, Anya handed me her glass, taking my empty one. Somewhat confused, I gulped that down too, as it seemed that was what she wanted me to do. The next thing I knew, Anya took my hand in hers and led me to the couch. I sat. She took the second glass from my grasp, and then told me to lie down. "You need to sleep. I'll wake you in three hours." "And what if Nicole gets up and comes in here looking for me?" "Then she'll find you." "Where will you be?" "I'm going home." I reached her arm as she was leaving and closed my hand on it. "I don't want you to go." "And what if Nicole gets up and comes in here looking for you?" "She may get up, but that door locks from this side. She won't be coming in." Anya began to smile. Then it seemed she changed her mind about the action. "Why do you want me here?" There was silence. Then she added "Just wondering.it doesn't really matter." "I want company. And I enjoy yours." 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen  
  
Calico I still sat in my apartment waiting at midnight. Anya still hadn't left David's room, except for once when she went, and returned with some cigarettes, so still I waited. I really couldn't comprehend why Anya was staying with David for the night. That was so.not like her. Cali was outside at the moment, probably hunting mice or something. The phone's tone almost made me jump. but not quite. "Hello?" I whispered, not taking the chance of being heard by ears across the hall. "Hi, Calico. You're in trouble. Wanna know why? Nicole and Anya are presently climbing down the fire escape. They're gonna catch the next train outta here. Alex's going to throw a fit when he finds out, and I'm callin' him next. Actually, I'm beginning to think it'll be a fist he throws at you instead of a fit, but still.have a nice day." "David!" I cried, but then heard the dial tone. David the bastard had hung up. "Damn!" I slammed the receiver of my phone down on a table, breaking it nearly in half. Of course, I was not and am not stupid. That might have just been a distraction so I'd go running down to the station while they all sat in the man's apartment. Then again, they might be at the train station that very moment. Either way, I had to get moving. Soon. Out the door and across the hall, I busted down Mr. Marrow's door and rushed in. Then I searched the entire house. When I was at the doorway, again, I stopped dead. There was a message addressed to me taped onto the door. Pulling it off and reading it quickly, I swore. Then I marched out, dropping the letter which said:  
  
"Dearest Calico the Assassin, Be sure Steven reads the following and follows the instructions carefully, or you're never getting your money.or any money, for that matter.  
  
Steven, Hi. I'm David. Do you remember me this time, or must I tell you who I am again? You know what? I've decided not to kill Nicole. In fact, I'm taking her with me. We're moving to Bermuda. Of course, that means I'll have to change my I. D. again, but I really don't give a damn at this point. Nicole suggested the name James Marques. Marques.how do you think that'll look on the marriage license? Ah well, we might come up with something better for it. By the way-do you mind if I use the ring you gave her? A criminal like me can't exactly go into a jewelry store and buy a diamond ring.I wonder why. huh. Anyway, if you want your wife killed, you're gonna have to offer me a hell- of-a lot more than you have. You know, I've always wanted a cabin up north. But cash is good too. And I don't mean counter fit crap like what you gave me this morning-I'm not stupid, I can tell what's real and what's not-I mean real money.about thirty or forty grand'll do. I want twenty million in twenties and ten million in tens at least, if that's inconvenient for you, just sent me the money in bills-nothing larger than a fifty. Here are your instructions: Box up my money and mail it to the postal office in Bermuda for 'Richard Lamar' to pick up.  
  
Wait for my answer and your wife's well.I can't really give you a proof of life, can I, since you want her dead? Ah well, I'll send you a something.a.proof of death.  
  
Keep Calico away from Bermuda no matter what. We'll be watching for her, believe me. If she turns up we'll see her. You're probably wondering why the hell you should listen to me. Well I'll give you a damned good reason. I've got a recording of you from this morning when we met. It says, and I quote, 'If you mess up like that again, I'm gonna kill you!' 'Really? Personally or.' Don't believe me? Hear for yourself. Rest assured, I have a copy, and am not afraid of turning it in.  
  
A tape was enclosed with the message.  
  
* * *  
  
"I like that." Alex mused, after reading the letter. "It shows that he's either incredibly smart or incredibly stupid, but, no matter what, that he's strong." "And this is a good thing?" I asked, in a slight state of confusion. "No. If it's the second one, then it means he can be manipulated. If it's the first thing, then that means I'm not asking a totally mindless man to kill my wife. He's got some sense." He re-read the letter swiftly. "And spirit." Another pause came. "And a very promising and useful background of lying." He almost laughed. I stepped forward to read over his shoulder. "What do you mean?" "He speaks of marrying Nicole. He wouldn't do that. She's too valuable to him dead." "He might not have been joking." He looked up at the words. "Why do you say that?" I cocked my head in a taunting manner, but answered none-the-less. "She spent the night at his place." "WHAT?" I said nothing, just stood reading and re-reading the letter over and over. He demanded. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" "I didn't think it had any significance at the time." "Why's that?" "The lady-Anya-was there too." "All night?" I confirmed. "All night." 


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen  
  
David I carefully planned it all. We took my car from the garage and called Calico. Then we parked when she answered and played a recording of me talking to her, followed by another recording of a dial tone. Meanwhile, we got on a bus while she might have been trying to trace the call. We took it to another bus station, not train, and got another ride. Then, in case we were being followed, we doubled back and passed my car again, to find that one door had been broken open and my cell phone was on the ground smashed. Apparently, Calico didn't like our little trick. Next, we took a cab to the edge of the city, and from there bought tickets on the train for Chicago. It would be a long trip, but I had a feeling it would go uninterrupted. On the train, we settled in the back, but left our disguises on. I had a fake goatee. Anya had a long brunette wig and blue contacts in, and Nicole had on a black wig and fake glasses. "Where the hell did you get these things?" I asked Anya, who'd remarkably had them in her coat pocket. "They're not mine. I.borrowed them from Calico. You wouldn't believe some of the crap she has in that closet of hers. I'm serious, she's gotta have a wig for every day of the year! She has fake noses too, and two-foot-tall platform shoes, and.so on and so forth. I mean, it looks like she's had this stuff her whole life, and just keeps getting more and more." "Anya, she's a hired assassin. What would you expect, a sunhat and sunglasses?" She frowned at me past Nicole. "Not quite, but still." "Uh huh.Nicole, could you excuse us a second?" I got up and shuffled past her toward the aisle. "Come on" I grabbed Anya by the right hand. "Anya." "What?" Anya asked as I stopped walking when we were in the back of the cabin, by the restrooms and turned to glower at her. I sighed.I'd been doing that a lot lately. "Nicole has almost been killed twice so could you please stop talking about the hired assassin? She's a nervous enough wreck as it is." Motioning at the shivering Nicole, my point was made. "Okay, okay.So what am I supposed to talk about, the weather?" "Exactly." She was frustrated; I could tell. And it was my own fault that she was such. "I'm sorry, I just don't wanna blow this thing, okay?" Anya only nodded. She acted like a child that had been yelled at. "Hey," I spoke again, trying to make her feel better. "I'll make it all up you. Do you believe me?" No reply was granted. I snaked an arm about her waist, holding her, while my opposite hand gently cupped one cheek and turned her head so that we were eye to eye.and lip to lip. Taking a miniscule step frontward, I kissed Anya for the second time, surprising, I suppose, both of us at the same time. My right arm twisted around her slim waist, as my left hand cupped the side of her face gently and my eyes fluttered shut for a moment. For that one moment, there were no problems. I had no troubles, for there was nothing threatening to worry about. There was only Anya; there was only us. "Do you believe me?" I inquired once more, after our lips had parted. My voice had softened, and I gazed admirably into her wondrous eyes. We were so close; I could feel the heat of my own breath between us. With a small smile and diffused anger in her eyes, Anya finally paid me a murmured answer. "Yes." 'Good.' I smiled, pleased 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen  
  
David Anya and I moved to an abandoned car when Nicole fell asleep. We stayed awake during the whole ride, discussing Alex, Calico, Nicole, and what the hell to do. It was all very interesting. (jk) "So. We're dropping Nicole off at the Chicago stop, right?" Anya asked, going over the plan we'd constructed again. "If she's awake by then, then yes." Anya's eyes narrowed. "O. K." She continued. "And then you plan to get off, where, exactly?" "Bismarck, if not many others get off there.And you?" "Oh, I dunno. Maybe Rapid City, maybe Bismarck. I'm not entirely sure." She shrugged, irresolute. "Anyway, back to the plan. After two weeks we all meet in." She waited for me to complete her sentence. "Well, how am I supposed to know? I'm not the leader of this outfit." "Neither am I." Then our eyes met and our thoughts were joined, and at the same time we both said "Nicole sure as hell isn't!" Anya smiled, looking thoughtful also, as she sometimes did while contemplating. "Well, let's put it to a vote, then." "All right.Seeing as you and Nicole are both being hunted down by a killer, I vote for yours truly." "Well I'm voting for yours truly too." A new voice joined us. "I'm with you two." Nicole had awoken. She stood in the doorway, holding onto the frame with one hand, and allowing the other to rest at her side. Her hair was in strands of tangles, and there were large, dark circles under her eyes. She looked good for a person who could've been killed again, had lost her I. D. s, and lost her money, then had gotten only an approximate of four hours of sleep. Anya spoke up. "Well someone has to be the. organizer." "I change my vote." I decided, nodding at Anya. "So do I." Nicole indicated me. "Anya gets the leadership because that's two votes to-" "So do I." Anya turned to me. "You get the leadership because that's two votes to one to zero." I looked at them both, first at Nicole, and then at Anya. "Okay. I don't see why I was, er, elected.but thanks. And. that is all." Then I remembered. "Oh, yeah, we're gonna split up, and then meet in two weeks in Chicago. Understood?" "Yes." Anya responded immediately. Nicole, on the other hand, just nodded. "Okay." 


	20. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty  
  
David We went our separate ways; Nicole got off first in Chicago. She waited on the platform until the train left the station, and waved as we whizzed by. Anya insisted on going to Bismarck with me, which I didn't object to. We got off a while after Nicole had, and walked together out of the station. When we were in a cab, we drove past a hotel. A sign beside it said 'Congratulations Todd and Marie. Today: newlyweds sleep free. ' "Turn in here." The cab-driver obeyed my request and parked just outside the large building. After climbing out of the cab, I helped Anya out. "Come on, honey." I staged, pretending we were married. When her feet were out of the backseat, Anya used one of them to kick me in she shins. "Yes dear." She mocked. Luckily the driver didn't notice. When our backs were facing him, I grimaced. She had a hard foot. "What the hell was that for?" I asked, through tightly-clenched teeth. "What was what for, dear?" 'Oh God.' I'd created a monster. "'What was what for, dear?'" I imitated in a hushed tone.  
  
* * *  
  
Nicole wandered about. I'd given her two hundred dollars, which was a third of what I had at hand, so she could find a place to sleep and get some new clothes, since we hadn't packed. She had become more.oh, what's the word...stable. She had almost stopped shaking entirely, which was a good thing, and her confidence in the plan had somewhat grown stronger. But what was she supposed to do by herself for two weeks?  
  
* * *  
  
Calico I was frustrated. I had no idea where they'd gone. Alex told me in a rage of fury "I don't care anymore; I want them all dead. Now find them and take care of the matter!" "What if I don't find them?" I had dared to venture. "What if I get a little.lost?" "You will find them, and you won't get lost, even if it is a little bit! You will find them. You will kill them. You will get your money as soon as I have proof of their deaths. They're worth sixty grand to you, but only dead." With a sigh, I had considered. "I can guarantee to get Nicole and Anya, I know about them. I think I can find them pretty easily. But David.we've barely exchanged words. All I know about him is that he lives, or lived, across the hall from me, is a friend of Anya's.though perhaps more, and he's a fighter. From what you've told me, I also know that he's been fooling with your wife and that he 'has some sense, and spirit, and a very promising and useful background of lying.'" I smirked, noting that Alex did not like my quoting him. "But I can't tell from that where he might go when running.and that's the very and only thing I need to know!" 


	21. Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty-One  
  
David "Hi." I spoke uneasily. I'd never been 'married' before. "We'd like a room, please." "Anything special?" "Well, the bridal suite, if you have one." The clerk looked at the pair of us. Anya was grinning wildly, pretending to be as cocky as most other brides after their wedding. The clerk directed his eyes to Anya's ring finger. Luckily, I'd thought of that. I'd given her Nicole's ring from its previous hidden location in my pocket, which would serve its purpose. "Names?" The man really didn't talk much. "Jason and Melissa Driver." "I. D. please." I opened my wallet. In there, I had five I. D. s. You know.just in case. You never can be too careful. There it was, Jason Driver. I handed it over. The attendant looked at me, then, seemingly satisfied, slid a clipboard toward me. "Sign where it says.um." "'Signature'?" "Yep. There. Okay, you're room fourteen." He informed us, handing over a key. "'Night." "Thanks." Anya replied. And then we went to find our room. We went down a long, white hall until we finally found number fourteen. Inside, I looked around, memorizing the layout and making a mental blueprint for myself. Then, satisfied with the place, I took off my jacket, shirt and shoes, and then got a spare blanket that was folded at the foot of the. Next, I went over to a lounge chair, sat down, and covered myself with the cloak of warmth. Anya walked over and sat on one arm of the chair, yawning, so I had to sit back to see her face. "What are you doing?" "Anya, I am tired. I want to sleep." I moaned. yawning also. "And?" Blinking, I sighed. "There's one bed." She shook her head. "David, it's a king-sized bed, for one thing. And for another, I'm not going to sleep yet, so you might as well take it." "I'm fine where I am.dear." A smile brightened her drowsy face. "I'm sure you are, darling, but.oh, never mind!" "What?" There was silence. I repeated earlier word inquiry. "Nothing. It's just.arguing with you is so aggravating! You're impossible to contend with. And I'm done in as it is, without trying to defend myself against you." Comprehending what my friend meant, I reached out and took her in my arms, only to ease her back off the arm of the chair and softly into my lap. And I then began gently rubbing her back. Beneath my fingers, the muscles in Anya's back were stiff and tense. "Just relax. You've had a long day.we both have. All you need is some rest and everything will be fine. I'll take care of it." She turned her head to me, her drowsy eyes pouring into mine. Her dark hair fell gently about her shoulders and shone radiantly in the light. "I'm sure you will." She started. ".but who'll take care of you?" Anya sighed stressfully. She blinked a few times. I hinted the concern in her soft voice, and suddenly the answer came to me, though pronounced in the form of a question. "You?" I made a smile form across my face, however sullen it may have appeared. But it was a smile. "You'll take care of me, won't you?" Not quite knowing what to say at first, Anya silently agreed. "Yes."  
  
* * *  
  
For a few more minutes, I held my friend., for whom my feelings were deepening, in my arms. There was silence as neither one of us knew exactly what to say, but it was a peaceful silence, and a welcome one after all that had happened back home, in New York. Eventually, Anya left my warm refuge and went into the bathroom for a bath that would help her settle into the night. After an hour or more, Anya re- entered the room. She was on tiptoe so as not to wake me, as if I were asleep. Silently, she pulled the blanket enveloping me so it covered me more thoroughly, then went to the bed and climbed beneath the covers. My eyes flicked open a centimeter, but then shut completely after I'd glimpsed Anya. 


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty-Two  
  
David I was up after six and a half hours of sleep, but Anya dreamt a bit longer, so I decided to take a walk and see the city for a while. After getting dressed, I went out and looked around. Though darkness still prevailed sunlight, there was enough light for me to find my way around by. Behind the hotel was a small forest, potentially a park. Walking toward it, I could see shimmering water beyond the trees. There was a lake as well. I spent an hour just walking, seeing the sights, and I eventually remembered that I had to go shopping. Anya and I had only one outfit apiece, and we'd be staying two weeks. We needed clothes. I caught a cab and had the driver take me to the mall. I had three hundred seventy-nine dollars left, since I'd paid thirty one dollars for cabs. The mall was a large one of peculiar shape, but it was well built and had interesting architecture. A giant dome of glass and steel was in the center, allowing shoppers a view of a clear sky above on a nice day. The shops were just beginning their openings as the sun rose visibly on the far side of the great dome. In the end, I bought five shirts and two pairs of pants, as well as some tennis shoes for my own use. For Anya I got seven shirts, three pairs of pants, a skirt, a dress, and two pairs of shoes: one for walking, and another for.I don't know what, but I bought them anyway since I didn't know exactly what kinds of things Anya would be comfortable in or would actually wear in the next several days. This was done with some difficulty, since I wasn't accustomed to buying women's clothing.that and I didn't know what size of anything to get for my friend. Therefore, I found myself studying some of the display models, trying to figure out which one was about Anya's height, size, etc. I got a few curious glances from that, and one saleswoman even came over and stood in front of me, glaring, while I tried to read one of the model's clothes tags upside down, looking for the size. "What?" I asked, then turned to leave, only to have a quick look back to find her still scowling at my behavior. I caught another cab to take me 'home' and arrived to find Anya still asleep. "Great." I murmured, and then sat down to await her wake. 


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty-Three  
  
David The time came when I made an abrupt, if not foolish decision. Anya still lay, sleeping without a sound among scattered and tossed pastel sheets. Her head lay upon a soft white pillow, and her dark hair spread across her face a little, crossing Anya's sealed eyes. My plan was this: I would do as Alex asked. When Nicole was dead, I could leave the country and assume a new identity; perhaps with Anya. Away from Alex and Calico, I hoped the entire affair would become a shadow in the past, and everything would be all right. I wouldn't have to run anymore, wouldn't have to steal, and Alex would have no reason to betray me to the police as I had filled my position he had appointed. With my earnings, I could live my life.waking up each morning, drawing breath, and painting. My award for a job well done for Alex would be enough for me to not have to steal anymore, meaning I would live no more lies.except for that of my name. The ordeal would settle itself, so I hoped. And if not.I would resolve the matter myself. I went to the airport; taking nothing with me but some cash for food in the city and a ticket to get there with. I bought a round-trip ticket and took flight five minutes later. I was going back, but would certainly return for my friend. On the plane, I closed my eyes a minute, remembering what had happened in the room before I left in a cab.  
  
* * *  
  
Anya had woken when my lips brushed against her forehead for a good-bye kiss. She looked up at me, the confusion in her beautiful eyes glistening as I tried to think of an explanation to offer her. I could think of no propaganda that would suffice in the state of affairs I was in. So I told her the truth. "I'll be back in a few hours, I promise." I had swallowed hard and blinked before sluggishly continuing. "I'm gonna be fine, I'm just going to resolve all this and talk to Alex for a while." Not knowing what else to say, I began to ascend to my feet, but was held back at the slight touch of Anya's hand on my turned back. Sighing and distraught. I responded by facing her again. Anya's hand moved to my right hand and held it while her left cover shifted the covers over her so it was made possible for her to stand. Eyes directed in the floor's general direction, Anya nodded eventually. As I had begun to leave, taking the gesture as a dismissal, she startled me by quickly walking around me and stopping me. It was then that she pressed her mouth to mine in a kiss of passion. I accepted it and returned the favor, while snaking my arms about her in a loving embrace. My lips began slowly to part, but I stopped myself then, stepping back to break the kiss. I had known then that I had to go; I knew what I had to do. And nothing- not even my smolderingly ardent feelings newly directed at Anya-nothing could stop me. Still holding Anya, I looked at her repentantly; my eyes rose to meet hers, and I tried to smile, giving her something to remember me with until I returned. "I-"I began to apologize, only to have my friend's hand cover my mouth and stop the words from coming. She nodded in reassurance, and overwrought a grin. Her eyes lit up a little, and that was all the permission I needed to go. "Just come back alive." She ordered, staring at me, still smiling. "Of course." Again, a sigh escaped me. Before walking through the door and leaving her alone for a time, I had kissed Anya lightly on the cheek.  
  
* * *  
  
On the plane, nearly half an hour later, I could still nearly feel her in my arms. I could almost taste her kiss; I could almost smell her at my side. Then I opened my eyes.and remembered where I really was.where I was going. 


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty-Four  
  
Calico Back home, a few long hours later, I stood in the middle of Alex's living room. I had one hand in my pocket, fingers entwined around the black grip of a pistol, loaded and ready to fire if needed. My other hand fingered a necklace hanging about my slim throat, a lightening strike made from real diamonds. Shortly Alex returned from the kitchen, where he'd poured a glass of brandy for himself. In one hand was the glass. In the other was thirty grand for my troubles, all in one-hundred dollar bills. He looked up from it to meet eyes with me, the assassin. "Nice necklace Calico.did you steal it?" Of course there was sarcasm in his voice. "Money-now." The incomplete sentence was all the response he was awarded. Alex began to surrender the reward, but hesitated, then withdrew his hand. "Calico, I need you to do something for me." "What?" I spat, with little feeling, at the remark, and moved my left hand from the lightening bolt and reached out to welcome my paycheck. Alex moved from the spot where his feet were previously planted and went closer to me. Slowly he circle d me when again words were spoken by his lips. "Well, David, I'm afraid, might fuck this up more than necessary, and if he does I want to be prepared for it. You might mess up even worse.but you're all I've got right now." As the man circled her, I, the woman with a cat's name, tightened my grip steadily on the pistol. What was he doing circling me? Alex was up to something and I could feel it in my gut. Within a second, I whipped out the gun as a precaution and was ready to fire, as always. Alex watched the sudden movement of me, his.employee.and stopped walking for the time. "That was unexpected." His voice stayed cool, but perspiration mantled his furrowed brow as a slight frown curled on Alex's face. "What's with the circles?" I hissed. "And if you want me to do something, you do not imply that I might make things worse. That just makes me more likely to disincline. In other words, it really does nothing for your case." "I'll remember that." Alex glanced down the barrel of her readied pistol before adding "Cali, lose the gun." I cleared her throat, but made no movement. "Calico, now." The man insisted, and I obliged.if only because I needed the money he offered. "Now, to continue.Calico, can you be here when my man comes to 'accidentally' kill Nicole?" "Why?" "If this backfires, I want an employee who can take care of a situation in the area. All right?" I thought out the offer for a minute before the response came. "What makes you think David will kill your wife for you? He, Anya, and she left together. For all we know, he could've been serious about marrying her. I can't determine that for you since I hardly know the man, but it is possible. What I'm getting at is this: How do you know this is all gonna work?" There was a silence while Alex contemplated his answer."I know." A deep sigh relieved me. I muttered. "Holy shit." "What?" "Shit! You expect me to go with 'I know'? I need more than that Alexander! Give me what I want or I'm not doing this, I don't care how much you offer." I began to turn and walk toward the door when a tightened hand on my arm held me back. "Listen to me Calico. I am not the most intelligent person in the world. I don't know everything about David. But I do know this." When I fought against his force, he pulled back. "Listen to me a moment. Just listen! I know he has never loved a woman he's slept with and stolen from. And I know he's short on money.Think about it; add two and two together, Calico, wake up! He has no other choice. He has to do this for me or, sooner or later he's gonna find himself broke, without a home, and on the streets." He stared into my eyes, behind the darkly tinted shades. "He will do this. Maybe not 'cause he wants to, but because he has to." Glumly and fatigue-ridden, I thought. "Why don't you just let me do the job, and leave him out of it?" "He's not better than you, that's not why you're my second choice.But he's the one I want caught and charged for Nicole's murder." He stopped there for a time. Still trying to keep eye contact through my black glasses, he then randomly off topic thought of something. "What color are your eyes?" "What?" The question was so arbitrarily asked that I hardly knew what to say. "Just asking." "Is there anything else; can I leave now?" "Will you be here for the murder? A nod was all the reply needed. Alex's hand released my arm, allowing me to go. I used that advantage to clench my hand into a fist and hook it with Alex's jaw, snapping his head to one side. "What was that for?" He inquired, moving a hand to his lower jaw in pain. A simple response was shot at him with a bitter tongue. "That was for keeping me and for the change in plans." Just then, David walked in, having left his and Anya's new possessions at the hotel and caught a plane back to momentarily confront Alex. He stopped at the scene in front of his eyes. "Calico, what the hell are you doin' here now.and, not that I give a shit, but what did you do to Alex?" His question, of course, was ignored. And I grabbed the money still clenched in Alex's hand and went past him on my way out. "Okay.Nice seein' you too." He remarked with sarcasm, not knowing what else to do with his time. With a snort of laughter, I exited the apartment suite.  
  
* * *  
  
David I kept my eyes on Alex, who was still sore from the blow Calico had delivered. "Hey, how are things in the city? I see things haven't changed much." I gloated, moving in and approaching the man. "If it were me, I would've done the same thing." I admitted. "As Calico, you mean?" He asked, already knowing the answer. "Of course.'Cept I woulda aimed a little lower." I trailed off, looking slowly from Alex's wild eyes to his feet. Laughing at his own misery for the moment, Alex chuckled. "Yeah, I believe you would have." Then he quickly recovered. "What are you doing here?" "I just realized you never really told me how you want your lovely wife to die." 


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty-Five  
  
Alex looked puzzled at my words.relieved, but puzzled as well. "Excuse me? Is she here with you? Where is she?" What was I supposed to say? "She's somewhere safe." I explained. "And the only way she'll come back to you is if I convince her to, or if you come up with some brilliant explanation she'll find believable enough to think about, and forget to wonder how you found her." "Good enough." "So what is it you want me to do?" He began to walk down a white hallway leading out of the entrance hall. I followed, still confused, but I emptied the Calico problem out of my head; I had other things to worry about. We ended up in the kitchen.a very large and.very white kitchen. "Over here." Alex directed my attention to a door leading off of the kitchen. "This is a service door. It is used by the maid and the maid only. She has the one key that will open this door. I can get it from her easily; she doesn't lock the door when she leaves since she knows I always check to be sure it's taken care of. She won't need the key for anything else until she returns, but by then she could have misplaced it, lost it, who knows?" He continued. "Anyway, I will leave the key for you over the door frame; there's a slight ledge there to hold and pretty much conceal it. You will close the door quietly behind you and wait next to it. At five, I'll call from my monthly golf game and when Nicole comes in to answer the phone, you take care of the job." "How? I haven't exactly killed anyone before." "You could always bring a gun. Then it'll look like you broke in to burglarize the place, she caught you, and you shot her when she tried to stop you. Happens all the time." I tried to laugh, but found my voice gone. "Not in my world, but I'll take your word on that." Alex half-heartedly smirked, before remembering something. "One thing, you can't forget. Before leaving, take a fork, screwdriver, or somethin' and jimmy the lock, so it doesn't look like you had a key. Okay?" Taking a deep breath in, I swallowed and agreed. "Great." Next thing I knew, I was out of there with ten grand in my pocket. Then it was back to Bismarck for me. 


	26. Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty-Six  
  
David I returned before Anya awoke, about twenty minutes after I returned to the room. She still seemed a little drowsy, but tried to hide the fact that she needed more sleep. After all, she had had an extremely long and.interesting last few weeks. Anyway, I'd folded the clothes and put them in a large oak dresser that was in one corner of the room. Then I'd ordered room service for lunch and eaten. I had a turkey sub and a large bowl of soup with coffee to drink.not that it's significant in any way; it's just that I hadn't eaten in a while. So after my meal, I needed something to do. That's when I started reading the room service menu top to bottom, front to back, and, when I grew uninterested enough, I looked at the whole thing backwards. And that's what I was doing when Anya got up, receiving a frown as she realized what I was doing. Anya picked up the phone and ordered a plate of ribs for her lunch, with Mountain Dew to drink. "They have ribs?" I asked. I hadn't noticed them listed on the menu. "Honey glazed. The sign's right here." She described and explained, showing me a miniscule sticker on the phone that told us about them. How could I have missed that?! (Sarcasm, of course) I mean, the sticker was only the size of a flea! (Slight exaggeration) Okay, okay, so it had the perimeter of my thumb nail; close enough. After Anya had finished the ribs, we had to figure something out to do. We had almost thirteen days worth of time to pass by before we left to meet Nicole. 


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven  
  
David As a new day broke out before us, Anya and I found ourselves unsure of what our next move should be. We were in hiding, in a place that we would unlikely be searched for. Hopefully, Nicole was the same. We had twelve and a half days to keep low profiles, and nothing to pass the time quickly with. Eventually, Anya decided to go out. Where or for what, I cannot say. She called a taxi to take her out, and I could think of nothing to do but stay.  
  
While Anya was away, I turned on the television and watched the morning news. Perhaps I'd see something that could give a hint as to what Calico had been up to the last day. I was right. On the news, there was a report of an assassination in the New York train station Nicole, Anya, and I had departed from. Apparently, as shown by camera, Calico had brought pictures of me and Anya from our apartments and shown them to a ticket seller, asking if he'd seen us and then demanding where we'd gone while discharging a firearm and holding it to the man's head. When he claimed that such information was classified, she cocked the gun and received her answer. We had bought round-trip tickets to Chicago, meaning we could get off anywhere we wanted between New York and there, and then return whenever we pleased within the year. "Thank you." Calico said, and then turned, as if to leave. Next, the camera showed a close-up of the ticket-man reaching to sound the alarm. But the camera zoomed out in time to show Calico fire and kill him before another movement could be made. She just left him there, blood spilling from the perfect circle in his forehead. She knew which train we'd taken. That meant that she'd be looking for us and would find us unless we made a movement. Anya and I had to leave, and soon. I wouldn't risk Anya's life being taken.or my own. 


	28. Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight  
  
David For hours I waited for Anya's return. When it finally came, the time was nearly twelve thirty in the afternoon. I'd obviously had some time on my hands, and in those hours had packed all our clothes as well as some food in bags and prepared to leave as soon as it was humanly possible to. "What's going on?" Anya asked, looking around and noting the bags, some opened drawers, and the blaring television, which I'd turned up so it could be heard even in the hall, just in case Calico did something else incredibly stupid.like getting caught on film again. But she didn't. "We're leaving." I replied in response, picking up a bag and shoving it into Anya's arms, taking the other two from the bed and walking past her afterwards. "Dav-Jason-it hasn't been two weeks yet, in case you hadn't noticed!" She stated the obvious, using my temporary name, in case anyone else could hear. "Yeah, I know. But it's time to go.Now!" Then I made myself explain. I had to tell her something. "Calico knows which train we took. She's gonna be looking for us. She will eventually come here, and I don't think either of us wants to be here when she does." It took a moment for Anya to consider what I'd said before she responded. "Okay.but wait-how do you know Calico knows?" "It was on the news. She was caught on camera with our pictures interrogating the ticket man, demanding to know where we'd gone. After cocking her gun which was in his face, she got her answer." I explained hurriedly. "Now come on! Maybe when she's traveling all over looking for us, we can make it back to New York. Alex will be all alone without his hit man-woman, and we can easily take care of or evade him. And Nicole-it doesn't particularly matter if Calico finds her because Alex wants her dead anyway. Let's go!" "Wait! Wait a minute." I faced her. "You say she was caught on camera?" "Yes." A frown lingered a moment on my friend's pursed lips. She knew something I did not; I could tell by her face and the glimmer in her eyes. "David," She forgot or ignored the fact that we might be overheard. "Calico isn't stupid. She wouldn't have let the camera catch her unless she really wanted someone to see that footage." "What are you suggesting?" "I think she preformed that just for us. She probably expected us to think as you did and return to New York while she waited for us there. We should stay here." 'No. No thanks, not a good idea; let's get going!' "Anya, I like the way you think: you're brilliant.but this time I think you're wrong. I'm going back." She stepped forward and thrust the bag she still held into my stomach so that I grabbed it. "I'm staying." 'Fine! Okay then.who needs her anyway?' "Fine." . 'Me.' I dropped the bag she'd shoved at me onto the floor. "You might need that. Those are your clothes." Bending to pick it up again, Anya muttered 'thanks'. "You're bent on staying?" I inquired. "Yes. Unless you have something else to suggest that sounds more appealing." I shifted and moved one of my packages so both were in the same hand, leaving my other hand free to take Anya's. "Come. Come with me." "What d'ya plan to do back in NY?" I turned to look at her again. "Kill Nicole before Calico does.I need the money. I figure I can pick up Mrs. Velmen on the way back, then kill her and collect my payment." "Hey." "'Hay'? Hay is for horses." I joked, before becoming serious again. "What is it?" "I thought we were gonna do that together, then use the money to go to Orlando, or somewhere." Anya protested. "You're right." I agreed, knowing the conversation would go nowhere unless I did. "We'll both go." "You mean we'll both stay." Sigh."I think I know what I mean. We're going, Calico or no Calico." Anya moved closer and looked up to search my eyes, digging for a reason not to leave. But I wouldn't give her one. "All right." She smiled a little, raising my hopes. "We'll go. How do you want to evade my neighbor, Cruella DeVil's less nice little sister?" Her word choice, being humorous, made me laugh. "I was thinking about that. You know, I could just apologize to Alex-temporarily of course-and give him some odd reason to give me another chance, with my promise to kill her. Then he'd probably keep Calico Black away from us." "You know she doesn't always do as told. She might follow us, or kill us anyway. That's the way she is." "At least we'd die rich." The joke wasn't lightly taken. "That's not funny, David. I mean, normally it would be.but we're talking about us here. It'd be our lives taken." "I'm not afraid to die." I insisted, trying to convince not only the person in front of me, but myself also. "Neither am I, but I'd like to have my money for thirty or forty years before I pass on, thank you very much." "Okay, I understand, and I promise you, we'll figure something out.on the way. All right?" "Yes." "Good, then let's go." I gave Anya another smile and continued through the door. "What, we're leaving now?" "Yeah." She grabbed her bag and trailed me. "Why can't we leave in the morning?" "Because we're leaving now." A hand folded onto my arm and held me back. I faced Anya and gazed lovingly into her deep eyes. She repeated herself. "Why can't we continue in the morning?" "I told you already." "And." "And.I already checked out." 


End file.
